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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HOSTS CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
16:09 30.05.2013
Armenian Genocide, European Parliament
At a conference in the European Parliament in Brussels, experts and
Armenian officials urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide as
only way to build bridge for reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey
to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity for the whole
region. The conference "Armenian Genocide : A Bridge for the
Reconciliation of Nations" hosted by Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) Dr. Eleni Theocharous in cooperation with the European Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy brought together round 100
participants from Europe and politicians from Armenia, Ararat News
reports.
The expert debate was opened by MEP Dr. Eleni Theocharous from Cyprus,
President of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group who welcomed the speakers
and the guests. MEP Theocharous underlined"the importance of
recognizing crimes committed by humans against humanity, because only
recognition brings reconciliation".
"It's worth pointing out that the crimes against Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire happened in front of the watchful eyes of French,
British, German, US diplomats in the interest of the imperialist
powers. Even today still thousands are detained without being guilty
in Turkish prisons, violence against ethnical and religious
minorities, Kurds, Pontios and others is still continuing because of
foreign economical interests. I hope Turkey will soon recognize the
Armenian genocide and avoid repeating again such crimes", concluded
MEP Theocharous.
Avet Adonts, Ambassador of Armenia in Belgium-Luxembourg and Head of
the Mission of Armenia to the European Union, said that "1.5 million
Armenians have been killed simply because of their origin. The main
task of the Armenian nation throughout the history have been to
survive. For all the survivors, the Genocide is not a past, but a
reality present in the everyday life. Therefore, the condemnation of
the Genocide is a must in order to achieve rehabilitation of the
historical justice", stressed Ambassador Adonts, adding that the
"recognition of the Armenian Genocide from Turkey and the good
neighbouring relations between Armenia and Turkey will influence not
only the two countries, but the peace, security, stability and
prosperity in the whole region".
Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) thanked to the MEPs and to the European
Parliament for hosting the conference. Mr. Karampetian pointed out
that first of all, "Armenia and Turkey are neighbours and they are
condemned to live together. This is the reality which should be faced.
Therefore, to recognize the Armenian Genocide and assume its
responsibilities will be the only possible way for Turkey to build a
bridge for reconciliation and to insure a peaceful life in the
future".
Valerie Boyer, Member of the French Parliament from Union for a
Popular Movement (UMP) spoke about the bill presented by her in the
National Assembly of France in 2011 to penalize the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. The bill was adopted by the Parliament and the
Senate of France, but has been rejected by the Constitutional Council.
MP Boyer shared her own deception, but also her "readiness to continue
to insist for penalization of the Armenian Genocide denial in the
French law".
"Me and my family, we have been victims of threats; we needed to be
under police protection when the bill was adopted by the National
Assembly and the Senate. But this situation shows once more the
importance of the question of penalization of the Armenian Genocide
denial. I submitted two new proposals for law and I am also insisting
for the establishment of Investigation Committee, which will analyze
the role of third countries for the rejection of the bill in France",
said the French MP.
MP Boyer was also shocked by the fact that the French public disagreed
with the proposal for the penalization law and she underlined the role
of the French media for not covering the issue. However, the real
reasons for rejecting the text, the deep relations between French and
Turkish deep states and economical interests has not been explained at
the conference.
Sevag Torossian, Member of the Association of the Armenian lawyers and
jurists (France), analyzed the legal aspects of the proposal for a law
penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. Mr. Torossian underlined the
fact that by definition, the denial of the genocide is part of the
genocide crime: "The mistake in France was made already in the
beginning of 1990s, when the genocide denial was connected to the laws
on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. As all the
historians know, the denial of the genocide is part of the genocide
crime and this should be reflected in our laws. When you are a murder,
you have to be punished", concluded Mr Torossian.
Bernard Coulie, Honorary rector of UCL (Louvain-La-Neuve) and
Professor in Armenian, Georgian and Byzantine Studies, spoke as a
"historian, who doesn't offer political solutions, but brings elements
for reflexion and better understanding".
Prof. Coulie described the three main characteristics of all
genocides: "Particular ideology, feeling of humiliation and need for
revenge and suitable context to act, which happens most often in a war
situation. All these three elements were present in the Ottoman Empire
at the end of XIX and the beginning of XX century".
Prof. Coulie said that "the strength of those who demand recognition
of the Armenian Genocide shows that the descendants of the survivals
haven't forgot anything. The strength of those who deny the genocide
show that the executioners haven't forgot anything either".
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/05/30/european-parliament-hosts-conference-on-armenian-genocide/
16:09 30.05.2013
Armenian Genocide, European Parliament
At a conference in the European Parliament in Brussels, experts and
Armenian officials urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide as
only way to build bridge for reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey
to bring peace, security, stability and prosperity for the whole
region. The conference "Armenian Genocide : A Bridge for the
Reconciliation of Nations" hosted by Member of the European Parliament
(MEP) Dr. Eleni Theocharous in cooperation with the European Armenian
Federation for Justice and Democracy brought together round 100
participants from Europe and politicians from Armenia, Ararat News
reports.
The expert debate was opened by MEP Dr. Eleni Theocharous from Cyprus,
President of the EU-Armenia Friendship Group who welcomed the speakers
and the guests. MEP Theocharous underlined"the importance of
recognizing crimes committed by humans against humanity, because only
recognition brings reconciliation".
"It's worth pointing out that the crimes against Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire happened in front of the watchful eyes of French,
British, German, US diplomats in the interest of the imperialist
powers. Even today still thousands are detained without being guilty
in Turkish prisons, violence against ethnical and religious
minorities, Kurds, Pontios and others is still continuing because of
foreign economical interests. I hope Turkey will soon recognize the
Armenian genocide and avoid repeating again such crimes", concluded
MEP Theocharous.
Avet Adonts, Ambassador of Armenia in Belgium-Luxembourg and Head of
the Mission of Armenia to the European Union, said that "1.5 million
Armenians have been killed simply because of their origin. The main
task of the Armenian nation throughout the history have been to
survive. For all the survivors, the Genocide is not a past, but a
reality present in the everyday life. Therefore, the condemnation of
the Genocide is a must in order to achieve rehabilitation of the
historical justice", stressed Ambassador Adonts, adding that the
"recognition of the Armenian Genocide from Turkey and the good
neighbouring relations between Armenia and Turkey will influence not
only the two countries, but the peace, security, stability and
prosperity in the whole region".
Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) thanked to the MEPs and to the European
Parliament for hosting the conference. Mr. Karampetian pointed out
that first of all, "Armenia and Turkey are neighbours and they are
condemned to live together. This is the reality which should be faced.
Therefore, to recognize the Armenian Genocide and assume its
responsibilities will be the only possible way for Turkey to build a
bridge for reconciliation and to insure a peaceful life in the
future".
Valerie Boyer, Member of the French Parliament from Union for a
Popular Movement (UMP) spoke about the bill presented by her in the
National Assembly of France in 2011 to penalize the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. The bill was adopted by the Parliament and the
Senate of France, but has been rejected by the Constitutional Council.
MP Boyer shared her own deception, but also her "readiness to continue
to insist for penalization of the Armenian Genocide denial in the
French law".
"Me and my family, we have been victims of threats; we needed to be
under police protection when the bill was adopted by the National
Assembly and the Senate. But this situation shows once more the
importance of the question of penalization of the Armenian Genocide
denial. I submitted two new proposals for law and I am also insisting
for the establishment of Investigation Committee, which will analyze
the role of third countries for the rejection of the bill in France",
said the French MP.
MP Boyer was also shocked by the fact that the French public disagreed
with the proposal for the penalization law and she underlined the role
of the French media for not covering the issue. However, the real
reasons for rejecting the text, the deep relations between French and
Turkish deep states and economical interests has not been explained at
the conference.
Sevag Torossian, Member of the Association of the Armenian lawyers and
jurists (France), analyzed the legal aspects of the proposal for a law
penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. Mr. Torossian underlined the
fact that by definition, the denial of the genocide is part of the
genocide crime: "The mistake in France was made already in the
beginning of 1990s, when the genocide denial was connected to the laws
on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. As all the
historians know, the denial of the genocide is part of the genocide
crime and this should be reflected in our laws. When you are a murder,
you have to be punished", concluded Mr Torossian.
Bernard Coulie, Honorary rector of UCL (Louvain-La-Neuve) and
Professor in Armenian, Georgian and Byzantine Studies, spoke as a
"historian, who doesn't offer political solutions, but brings elements
for reflexion and better understanding".
Prof. Coulie described the three main characteristics of all
genocides: "Particular ideology, feeling of humiliation and need for
revenge and suitable context to act, which happens most often in a war
situation. All these three elements were present in the Ottoman Empire
at the end of XIX and the beginning of XX century".
Prof. Coulie said that "the strength of those who demand recognition
of the Armenian Genocide shows that the descendants of the survivals
haven't forgot anything. The strength of those who deny the genocide
show that the executioners haven't forgot anything either".
http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/05/30/european-parliament-hosts-conference-on-armenian-genocide/