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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE KICKS OFF IN LEBANON
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 - 13:27 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - On February 23, 2012, the International Conference
on the Armenian Genocide: from Recognition to Reparation began in
Antelias, Lebanon, in the presence of 120 experts from all over the
world, ambassadors, current and former government ministers and members
of the Lebanese parliament, heads of Armenian religious communities and
representatives of Armenian political parties and other institutions.
His Holiness welcomed the guests and the participants and explained the
background leading to the conference. After stating his expectations
from the Conference, in which he referred at length to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of Genocide, Catholicos Aram I concluded with the following
remarks: "Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner,
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
we claim the ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish
authorities".
Prof. Nora Bayrakdarian introduced the agenda and the two speakers:
H.E. Judge Fausto Pocar, Former President of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and H.E. Judge Joe Verhoeven,
ad hoc Judge, International Court of Justice.
Speaking from his experience, Judge Fausto Pocar said that although it
is important to list the acts of the Genocide Convention, it is equally
important to consider intent and incitement. After mentioning examples
from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that of the
Former Yugoslavia, he said that in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia,
the Tribunals clarified the crime of genocide by both applying the
acts listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention and showing evidence of
intent and incitement. Judge Pocar stated that the same process could
take place in the case of the Armenian Genocide.
Judge Verhoeven began by saying that recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is an established fact and that the Turkish State is denying
part of its own history. He also said that the fact that the Genocide
Convention had not been written at the time of the Armenian Genocide
is irrelevant and that there is no statute of limitations on the
act of the illegal killing of people. The State of Turkey and its
territories still exist and it is therefore accountable. Speaking of
Church properties, he said that these were semi-public properties:
part of the historical heritage of the Armenian people and a necessary
component of their identity. Turkey cannot deny the identity of a
people. Turkey should respect it and make reparation to the Church,
which is responsible owner of this heritage.
The opening session ended with the anthem of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia and the prayer of His Holiness Aram I at the Martyr's Chapel.
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 - 13:27 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - On February 23, 2012, the International Conference
on the Armenian Genocide: from Recognition to Reparation began in
Antelias, Lebanon, in the presence of 120 experts from all over the
world, ambassadors, current and former government ministers and members
of the Lebanese parliament, heads of Armenian religious communities and
representatives of Armenian political parties and other institutions.
His Holiness welcomed the guests and the participants and explained the
background leading to the conference. After stating his expectations
from the Conference, in which he referred at length to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of Genocide, Catholicos Aram I concluded with the following
remarks: "Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner,
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
we claim the ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish
authorities".
Prof. Nora Bayrakdarian introduced the agenda and the two speakers:
H.E. Judge Fausto Pocar, Former President of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and H.E. Judge Joe Verhoeven,
ad hoc Judge, International Court of Justice.
Speaking from his experience, Judge Fausto Pocar said that although it
is important to list the acts of the Genocide Convention, it is equally
important to consider intent and incitement. After mentioning examples
from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that of the
Former Yugoslavia, he said that in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia,
the Tribunals clarified the crime of genocide by both applying the
acts listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention and showing evidence of
intent and incitement. Judge Pocar stated that the same process could
take place in the case of the Armenian Genocide.
Judge Verhoeven began by saying that recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is an established fact and that the Turkish State is denying
part of its own history. He also said that the fact that the Genocide
Convention had not been written at the time of the Armenian Genocide
is irrelevant and that there is no statute of limitations on the
act of the illegal killing of people. The State of Turkey and its
territories still exist and it is therefore accountable. Speaking of
Church properties, he said that these were semi-public properties:
part of the historical heritage of the Armenian people and a necessary
component of their identity. Turkey cannot deny the identity of a
people. Turkey should respect it and make reparation to the Church,
which is responsible owner of this heritage.
The opening session ended with the anthem of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia and the prayer of His Holiness Aram I at the Martyr's Chapel.