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European Parliament Reaffirms its Recognition of Armenian Genocide

Resolution calls on Turkey to “come to terms with its past”

On April 15, the European Parliament once again passed a resolution recognizing the 1915 Armenian Genocide and called on Turkey to come to terms with its past.

Making reference to other European texts voted on the issue in the recent years, the resolution “pays tribute, on the eve of the Centenary, to the memory of the one-and-a-half million innocent Armenian victims” and calls on Turkey “to come to terms with its past, to recognize the Armenian genocide and thus pave the way for a genuine reconciliation between Turkish and Armenian peoples”.

Yesterday’s resolution on the Armenian Genocide Centennial was supported by all political groups in the European Parliament. 

It stated, in part, “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 goes on to note "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 European Parliament first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1987 and has subsequently reaffirmed its pledge in 2000, 2002 and 200

European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA, www.EuFoA.org) warmly welcomes this resolution.

EuFoA Director Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa commented: “The European Parliament has once again proven its solidarity and support to the Armenian people, paying tribute to the innocent victims of the Genocide thus expressing its strong rejection to any kind of genocide denialism. The Parliament’s stance on genocides and crimes against humanity could not be clearer!”

The adoption of the resolution was accompanied by statements by the two governing bodies of the EU, the European Council and the European Commission. Ms Kristalina Georgieva, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Budget and Human Resources, made a statement calling for “considering additional, meaningful steps paving the way towards full reconciliation”.

Speaking during the debate on the resolution, MEP Charles Tannock (ECR) commented “Since closing its border with Armenia, Turkey leads a relentlessly hostile policy towards Armenia. Turkey should open the border as a gesture of goodwill”. MEP Michèle Rivasi (Greens/EFA) called on the European Commission to use the word “genocide”, saying that “it’s of historic importance that this word is used”.

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