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ARMENIANS REMEMBER MASS KILLINGS
Aljazeera.net, Qatar
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FC54E52B-0 AC2-42FA-B3FB-9DAC9D39407B.htm
April 24 2008
Thousands climbed to a hilltop memorial in Yerevan on Thursday [AFP]
Armenia's new president has vowed to step up efforts to have mass
killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire recognised as genocide.
Addressing a commemorative gathering on Thursday, Serzh Sarkisian,
the president, said: "International condemnation of the Armenian
genocide is an inevitable part of Armenia's foreign policy agenda."
Turkey rejects the genocide claim, which many countries recognise.
Armenians climbed to a hilltop memorial in Yerevan to mark the 93rd
anniversary of the start of the killings, which took place between
1915 and 1923 and led to a mass exodus of Armenians from what is now
eastern Turkey.
Tens of thousands take part in the procession every year, including
many from Armenia's widespread diaspora who travel to Yerevan for
the event.
Unity call
"The republic of Armenia should double its efforts for the restoration
of historical justice.
"When it comes to condemning the genocide, denial has no future,
especially today when many countries around the world have added
their voices to the voice of truth," Sarkisian said.
Tigran Sarkisian, the prime minister, said that the massacres showed
the need for Armenian unity, a clear reference to post-election clashes
last month between opposition supporters and riot police that left
10 dead.
The opposition claims Serzh Sarkisian's February win was rigged.
"We cannot be in safety and security if we are divided and
separated. We cannot prevent major disasters from recurring if we
fail to have a strong state," the prime minister said.
Armenians believe up to 1.5m people died in orchestrated killings
during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey says 300,000 Armenians and at least an equal number of Turks
were killed in civil strife when the Christian Armenians, backed by
Russia, rose up against the Ottomans.
Closed border
The dispute has been a major obstacle in relations between Turkey and
Armenia, which have no diplomatic ties and whose border has remained
closed for more than a decade.
Ali Babacan, the Turkish foreign minister, said this week that Turkey
was "open to dialogue" with Armenia's new government "with the aim
of normalising Turkish-Armenian ties."
The controversy has also complicated relations between EU-aspirant
Turkey and many Western countries, especially those with large
ethnic-Armenian communities such as the United States and France.
Many taking part in Thursday's ceremony called on Western countries
to pressure Turkey into recognising the massacres as genocide.
"I lost my entire family at the hands of the Turks," Srbuhi Pirumian,
an 80-year-old Armenian said. "I will never tire of telling our
history to my children and to my grandsons....The Turks have no place
in Europe.
More than 20 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Poland and
Switzerland, have officially recognised the killings as genocide.
In 2006, French lawmakers voted to make it a criminal offence to deny
that Armenians were victims of genocide.
But many countries, including Britain and the United States, refuse to
use the term to describe the events, mindful of relations with Turkey.
---------------------- Armenian 'genocide'
Armenians say they suffered discrimination, religious persecution,
heavy taxation and armed attacks under Ottoman Turks since 16th century
Thousands killed from 1894 to 1896 during a crackdown on Armenian
nationalists
Armenians claim 1.5m murdered or starved to death when Ottoman
Turks deported them to Syria and Mesopotamia deserts from 1915-1917
during WWI
Turkey says inflated toll due to ethnic clashes, disease and famine
All ties between Turkey and Armenia severed more than 90 years ago
Aljazeera.net, Qatar
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FC54E52B-0 AC2-42FA-B3FB-9DAC9D39407B.htm
April 24 2008
Thousands climbed to a hilltop memorial in Yerevan on Thursday [AFP]
Armenia's new president has vowed to step up efforts to have mass
killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire recognised as genocide.
Addressing a commemorative gathering on Thursday, Serzh Sarkisian,
the president, said: "International condemnation of the Armenian
genocide is an inevitable part of Armenia's foreign policy agenda."
Turkey rejects the genocide claim, which many countries recognise.
Armenians climbed to a hilltop memorial in Yerevan to mark the 93rd
anniversary of the start of the killings, which took place between
1915 and 1923 and led to a mass exodus of Armenians from what is now
eastern Turkey.
Tens of thousands take part in the procession every year, including
many from Armenia's widespread diaspora who travel to Yerevan for
the event.
Unity call
"The republic of Armenia should double its efforts for the restoration
of historical justice.
"When it comes to condemning the genocide, denial has no future,
especially today when many countries around the world have added
their voices to the voice of truth," Sarkisian said.
Tigran Sarkisian, the prime minister, said that the massacres showed
the need for Armenian unity, a clear reference to post-election clashes
last month between opposition supporters and riot police that left
10 dead.
The opposition claims Serzh Sarkisian's February win was rigged.
"We cannot be in safety and security if we are divided and
separated. We cannot prevent major disasters from recurring if we
fail to have a strong state," the prime minister said.
Armenians believe up to 1.5m people died in orchestrated killings
during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey says 300,000 Armenians and at least an equal number of Turks
were killed in civil strife when the Christian Armenians, backed by
Russia, rose up against the Ottomans.
Closed border
The dispute has been a major obstacle in relations between Turkey and
Armenia, which have no diplomatic ties and whose border has remained
closed for more than a decade.
Ali Babacan, the Turkish foreign minister, said this week that Turkey
was "open to dialogue" with Armenia's new government "with the aim
of normalising Turkish-Armenian ties."
The controversy has also complicated relations between EU-aspirant
Turkey and many Western countries, especially those with large
ethnic-Armenian communities such as the United States and France.
Many taking part in Thursday's ceremony called on Western countries
to pressure Turkey into recognising the massacres as genocide.
"I lost my entire family at the hands of the Turks," Srbuhi Pirumian,
an 80-year-old Armenian said. "I will never tire of telling our
history to my children and to my grandsons....The Turks have no place
in Europe.
More than 20 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Poland and
Switzerland, have officially recognised the killings as genocide.
In 2006, French lawmakers voted to make it a criminal offence to deny
that Armenians were victims of genocide.
But many countries, including Britain and the United States, refuse to
use the term to describe the events, mindful of relations with Turkey.
---------------------- Armenian 'genocide'
Armenians say they suffered discrimination, religious persecution,
heavy taxation and armed attacks under Ottoman Turks since 16th century
Thousands killed from 1894 to 1896 during a crackdown on Armenian
nationalists
Armenians claim 1.5m murdered or starved to death when Ottoman
Turks deported them to Syria and Mesopotamia deserts from 1915-1917
during WWI
Turkey says inflated toll due to ethnic clashes, disease and famine
All ties between Turkey and Armenia severed more than 90 years ago