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EP adopts resolution on Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, calls o

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  • EP adopts resolution on Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, calls o

    EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
    For Justice and Democracy
    Avenue de la Renaissance 10
    Bruxelles, 1000
    Belgique

    Tel./Fax : +32 (0) 2 732 70 26 / 27
    E-mail : [email protected]
    Web: http://www.eafjd.org
    http://www.eafjd.eu/
    https://twitter.com/eafjd
    https://www.facebook.com/European.Armenian.Federation


    *European Parliament adopts resolution on Centennial of the Armenian
    Genocide, calls on Turkey to reconcile with its past*

    Brussels, 15 April, 2015: Today, during its plenary session the European
    Parliament adopted , a resolution on the centennial of the Armenian
    Genocide. The European Council was represented by Kalinina-Lukaševica and
    the European Commission Kristalina Georgieva, Vice-President of the
    European Commission and Commissioner for the Budget and Human Resources.
    With this resolution, the European Parliament officially marked the
    centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

    Today's resolution on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide was supported
    by all political groups in the European Parliament, in which is stated:
    "whereas an increasing number of Member States and national
    parliaments recognize the Armenian Genocide perpetrated in the Ottoman
    Empire, whereas one of the main motivations of the European unification
    movement is the will to prevent the recurrence of wars and crimes against
    humanity in Europe; ...whereas the importance of keeping the memories of
    the past is paramount, since there can be no reconciliation without the
    truth and remembrance; Pays tribute, on the eve of the Centenary, to the
    memory of the one-and-a-half million innocent Armenian victims who perished
    in the Ottoman Empire; joins the commemoration of the centenary of the
    Armenian Genocide in a spirit of European solidarity and justice; calls on
    the Commission and Council to join the commemoration".

    The resolution reminds the Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy in
    the World 2013 adopted on Mach 12, 2015, and the European Union's policy on
    the matter, where the European Parliament calls on EU member states to
    recognize the Armenian Genocide.
    In today's resolution, `the European Parliament calls on Turkey to
    come to terms with its past by recognizing the Armenian genocide and
    thus pave way for a genuine reconciliation".

    The resolution also recalls the Parliament's resolution of 18 June 1987 in
    which inter alia it has recognized that the tragic events that took place
    in 1915 - 1917 against the Armenians in the territory of the Ottoman Empire
    represent a genocide as defined in the Convention on the Prevention and
    Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948; condemns all occurrences of
    crimes against humanity and genocide and strongly deplores any attempts of
    their denial.

    The European Parliament resolution also asks for the establishment of an
    `International Remembrance Day for Genocides' and stresses
    that the timely
    prevention and effective punishment of genocide and crimes against humanity
    should be among the main priorities of the international community and the
    EU.

    An unprecedented number of members of the European Parliament took the
    stage and showed their solidarity to the Armenian nation in, and in support
    of the resolution, and the importance of calling a genocide a genocide.
    Pope Francis' message of reconciliation and peace was also mentioned and
    included in the final version of the resolution.

    Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
    Justice & Democracy (EAFJD) said "Armenians all over the world welcome this
    resolution in this centennial year of the Armenian Genocide. The European
    Union is a union of values, dignity and human rights, and we expect all
    countries willing to join it, to have reconciled with their past, have
    friendly relations with their neighbors and look forward to a brighter and
    peaceful future without the ultimate of crimes, without Genocide. We expect
    Turkey come to terms with its past, and acknowledge the crime it has
    committed against the Armenian population 100 years ago, with all its
    consequences". Karampetian also stressed the need for the EU Council and
    Commission to show more courage, acknowledge the crime with its proper
    name, and not hide behind EU member countries who have not yet recognized
    the Armenian Genocide.

    Karampetian also said, that Armenians support the democratic forces in
    Turkey, who challenge the Turkish state's denial policy, push for
    recognition of the crime of Genocide against Armenians. He also stressed
    the well coordinated and organized work of the Republic of Armenia
    permanent mission to the EU, Republic of Armenia National Assembly's
    committee on foreign relations and the European Friends of Armenia, whose
    efforts succeeded in having this well deserved resolution.

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