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ARMENIAN PR DELIVERS STATEMENT AT UNGA HIGH-LEVEL THEMATIC DEBATE ON PROMOTING TOLERANCE AND RECONCILIATION
16:44, 23 April, 2015
YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. On April 21-22, UN General Assembly held
a High-Level Thematic Debate entitled "Tolerance and Reconciliation",
addressing complex challenges of the rise of radicalization and
violent extremism, atrocities, identity-based conflicts, cultural and
religious tensions. Besides the President of the UN General Assembly,
who presided over the session, the debate heard remarks by the UN
Secretary-General, President of the Human Rights Council and the High
Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, as well as statements
by a large number of high-level government officials of Member States,
Permanent Representatives and religious leaders.
The Press, Information, and Public Relations Department of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia informed
"Armenpress" that welcoming a continued and consistent pursuit
within the United Nations of the ideology of tolerance, dialogue
and reconciliation as preconditions for peace, Armenia's Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
noted that racism, religious and cultural intolerance, xenophobia,
fragmentation of societies, the rejection and vilification of the
other have been at the core of mass violations of human rights,
leading to mass atrocities, crimes against humanity, including the
crime of genocide. Ambassador Mnatsakanyan noted that the debate is
taking place at a time, when a human river will flow to the Memorial
for the Victims of the Genocide perpetrated against Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire 100 years ago and emphasized that the Armenian genocide
is a universal tragedy which reminds, once again, that impunity breeds
repetition of crime. According to Armenia's Permanent Representative,
the commemoration of the victims of the Armenian genocide is also
an important sign of reaffirmation of people's collective faith in
the fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human
person - faith enshrined in the very Charter of the United Nations.
Emphasizing that Armenians are not alone in their grief and demand for
justice as they enjoy the solidarity of many nations around the world,
Ambassador Mnatsakakanyan thanked people of every faith and belief in
the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and elsewhere
who sheltered and protected Armenians in the times of the desperation
100 years ago. He has stressed that his people do not bear hatred
towards the Turkish people, but a call to address history, to accept
history and to pave the way for genuine reconciliation. He further
noted the Armenians genocide is not an issue for historians and it
is an issue for the present, a political issue, an issue of political
courage and leadership to admit the past. He said that without truth
and remembrance there cannot be genuine reconciliation. "Justice and
reconciliation is the message of Armenia and the Armenian people to
this debate"; concluded Ambassador Mnatsakanyan.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/803027/armenian-pr-delivers-statement-at-unga-high-level-thematic-debate-on-promoting-tolerance-and-reconciliation.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
16:44, 23 April, 2015
YEREVAN, APRIL 23, ARMENPRESS. On April 21-22, UN General Assembly held
a High-Level Thematic Debate entitled "Tolerance and Reconciliation",
addressing complex challenges of the rise of radicalization and
violent extremism, atrocities, identity-based conflicts, cultural and
religious tensions. Besides the President of the UN General Assembly,
who presided over the session, the debate heard remarks by the UN
Secretary-General, President of the Human Rights Council and the High
Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, as well as statements
by a large number of high-level government officials of Member States,
Permanent Representatives and religious leaders.
The Press, Information, and Public Relations Department of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia informed
"Armenpress" that welcoming a continued and consistent pursuit
within the United Nations of the ideology of tolerance, dialogue
and reconciliation as preconditions for peace, Armenia's Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
noted that racism, religious and cultural intolerance, xenophobia,
fragmentation of societies, the rejection and vilification of the
other have been at the core of mass violations of human rights,
leading to mass atrocities, crimes against humanity, including the
crime of genocide. Ambassador Mnatsakanyan noted that the debate is
taking place at a time, when a human river will flow to the Memorial
for the Victims of the Genocide perpetrated against Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire 100 years ago and emphasized that the Armenian genocide
is a universal tragedy which reminds, once again, that impunity breeds
repetition of crime. According to Armenia's Permanent Representative,
the commemoration of the victims of the Armenian genocide is also
an important sign of reaffirmation of people's collective faith in
the fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human
person - faith enshrined in the very Charter of the United Nations.
Emphasizing that Armenians are not alone in their grief and demand for
justice as they enjoy the solidarity of many nations around the world,
Ambassador Mnatsakakanyan thanked people of every faith and belief in
the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and elsewhere
who sheltered and protected Armenians in the times of the desperation
100 years ago. He has stressed that his people do not bear hatred
towards the Turkish people, but a call to address history, to accept
history and to pave the way for genuine reconciliation. He further
noted the Armenians genocide is not an issue for historians and it
is an issue for the present, a political issue, an issue of political
courage and leadership to admit the past. He said that without truth
and remembrance there cannot be genuine reconciliation. "Justice and
reconciliation is the message of Armenia and the Armenian people to
this debate"; concluded Ambassador Mnatsakanyan.
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/803027/armenian-pr-delivers-statement-at-unga-high-level-thematic-debate-on-promoting-tolerance-and-reconciliation.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress