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EURONEST PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ADOPTS RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
By MassisPost
Updated: March 17, 2015
YEREVAN -- The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, representing the
European Union's member and partner states on Tuesday called for
greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide and
urged Turkey to "come to terms with its past."
A resolution adopted during a session in Yerevan, the EU Parliamentary
Assembly said "the absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of
the Armenian Genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent
future crimes against humanity."
Therefore, it said, "prevention of genocides and crimes against
humanity should be amongst the priorities of the international
community."The world should also strive for "the restoration of the
rights of people subjected to genocide," added the assembly bringing
together members of the European Parliament and legislatures of
ex-Soviet states involved in the EU's Eastern Partnership program.
The resolution further "deeply deplores" attempts to deny the World
War One-era slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey
and other genocides. In that regard, it "invites Turkey to come to
term with its past."
The Euronest text was adopted less than a week after the European
Parliament reaffirmed its recognition of the Armenian genocide in an
annual report on human rights practices around the world. It urged
all EU member states to do the same.
The measure was adopted with a vote of 33 to 4.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the EU legislature's appeal,
saying that it is "utterly devoid of historical reality and legal
basis."
"We find these assertions in all respects extremely problematic and
regret them deeply," the ministry spokesman, Tanju Bilgic, said in
a weekend statement. "The report interprets a certain period of the
Ottoman Empire, which was tragic for all the people of the Empire,
one-sidedly and with a sense of selective justice."
The Joint text for an Urgent Motion for Resolution by the Armenian
and the European Parliament on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide:
The EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly,
Having regard to Article 9(3) of its Rules of Procedure; Having regard
to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948;
Having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights of 16 December 1966; Having regard to the UN Convention on the
Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes
Against Humanity of 26 November 1968; Having regard to the European
Parliament Resolution of 20 July 1987 on a Political Solution to the
Armenian question; Having regard to the European Parliament Resolution
of 15 November 2000 on Turkey's progress towards accession; Having
regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 28 September 2005
on the opening of negotiations with Turkey; Having regard to the
resolutions and statements of the legislative bodies of number of
the EU members states.
Whereas the year of 2015 marks the centennial of the Armenian Genocide
perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire; Whereas recognition of the inherent
dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of
the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in
the world; Whereas the denial of genocide is widely recognized as the
final stage of genocide, enshrining impunity for the perpetrators of
genocide, and demonstrably paving the way for future genocides; whereas
the absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of the Armenian
Genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent future crimes
against humanity; Whereas early prevention of such crimes can surely
stop escalation of conflicts, tragedies and humanitarian catastrophes.
The Assembly:
Condemns all forms of crimes against humanity and genocide and
deeply deplore attempts of their denial; Pay tribute to the memory
of innocent victims of all genocides and crimes, committed against
humanity; Stresses that prevention of genocides and crimes against
humanity should be amongst the priorities of international community;
Finds that further development of the international capacities in
this regard is instrumental; Supports the international struggle for
the prevention of genocides, the restoration of the rights of people
subjected to genocide and the establishment of historical justice;
Invites Turkey to come to term with its past; Considers that setting
up grounds for future reconciliation between peoples is of utmost
importance; Invites Armenia and Turkey to use examples of successful
reconciliation between European Nations and focus on an agenda putting
cooperation between the peoples first;
http://massispost.com/2015/03/euronest-parliamentary-assembly-adopts-resolution-on-armenian-genocide-recognition/
By MassisPost
Updated: March 17, 2015
YEREVAN -- The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, representing the
European Union's member and partner states on Tuesday called for
greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide and
urged Turkey to "come to terms with its past."
A resolution adopted during a session in Yerevan, the EU Parliamentary
Assembly said "the absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of
the Armenian Genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent
future crimes against humanity."
Therefore, it said, "prevention of genocides and crimes against
humanity should be amongst the priorities of the international
community."The world should also strive for "the restoration of the
rights of people subjected to genocide," added the assembly bringing
together members of the European Parliament and legislatures of
ex-Soviet states involved in the EU's Eastern Partnership program.
The resolution further "deeply deplores" attempts to deny the World
War One-era slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey
and other genocides. In that regard, it "invites Turkey to come to
term with its past."
The Euronest text was adopted less than a week after the European
Parliament reaffirmed its recognition of the Armenian genocide in an
annual report on human rights practices around the world. It urged
all EU member states to do the same.
The measure was adopted with a vote of 33 to 4.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the EU legislature's appeal,
saying that it is "utterly devoid of historical reality and legal
basis."
"We find these assertions in all respects extremely problematic and
regret them deeply," the ministry spokesman, Tanju Bilgic, said in
a weekend statement. "The report interprets a certain period of the
Ottoman Empire, which was tragic for all the people of the Empire,
one-sidedly and with a sense of selective justice."
The Joint text for an Urgent Motion for Resolution by the Armenian
and the European Parliament on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide:
The EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly,
Having regard to Article 9(3) of its Rules of Procedure; Having regard
to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948;
Having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights of 16 December 1966; Having regard to the UN Convention on the
Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes
Against Humanity of 26 November 1968; Having regard to the European
Parliament Resolution of 20 July 1987 on a Political Solution to the
Armenian question; Having regard to the European Parliament Resolution
of 15 November 2000 on Turkey's progress towards accession; Having
regard to the European Parliament Resolution of 28 September 2005
on the opening of negotiations with Turkey; Having regard to the
resolutions and statements of the legislative bodies of number of
the EU members states.
Whereas the year of 2015 marks the centennial of the Armenian Genocide
perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire; Whereas recognition of the inherent
dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of
the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in
the world; Whereas the denial of genocide is widely recognized as the
final stage of genocide, enshrining impunity for the perpetrators of
genocide, and demonstrably paving the way for future genocides; whereas
the absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of the Armenian
Genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent future crimes
against humanity; Whereas early prevention of such crimes can surely
stop escalation of conflicts, tragedies and humanitarian catastrophes.
The Assembly:
Condemns all forms of crimes against humanity and genocide and
deeply deplore attempts of their denial; Pay tribute to the memory
of innocent victims of all genocides and crimes, committed against
humanity; Stresses that prevention of genocides and crimes against
humanity should be amongst the priorities of international community;
Finds that further development of the international capacities in
this regard is instrumental; Supports the international struggle for
the prevention of genocides, the restoration of the rights of people
subjected to genocide and the establishment of historical justice;
Invites Turkey to come to term with its past; Considers that setting
up grounds for future reconciliation between peoples is of utmost
importance; Invites Armenia and Turkey to use examples of successful
reconciliation between European Nations and focus on an agenda putting
cooperation between the peoples first;
http://massispost.com/2015/03/euronest-parliamentary-assembly-adopts-resolution-on-armenian-genocide-recognition/