The resolution on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, which garnered support from all political groups in the European Parliament, read: “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; [the European Parliament] 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 recalls 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.
- The resolution also recalls the Parliament’s resolution of June 18, 1987, in which the Parliament recognized that the tragic events that took place in Ottoman Armenia from 1915 to 1918 against the Armenians constitute a genocide as defined by international law.
- As such, the European Parliament’s resolution adopted Wednesday said, “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 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, and in support of the resolution, and stressed the importance of calling 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 and Democracy (ANC of Europe) 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 said that Armenians support the democratic forces in Turkey, who challenge the Turkish state’s denial policy and push for recognition of the crime of genocide against Armenians. He also stressed the well-coordinated and organized work of the Republic of Armenia’s permanent mission to the EU, the Armenian National Assembly’s committee on foreign relations and the European Friends of Armenia, whose efforts helped introduce “this well-deserved resolution,” as Karampetian put it.
- Ahead of the vote, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, commenting on the European Parliament’s scheduled vote, said, “Whatever decision the European Parliament takes on Armenian genocide claims, it will go in one ear and out the other because it is not possible for Turkey to accept such a crime, such a sin.”
Turkey’s Permanent Delegation to the EU immediately responded after the resolution’s passing by tweeting: “In its latest resolution the EP has once again been successful in alienating Turkey and the Turkish people. It acted as prosecutor, judge and jury.” http://asbarez.com/134064/european-parliament-adopts-bill-urging-turkey-to-recognize-genocide/
15/4/15
--
-
Related:
European Parliament set to vote on "genocide" claims
Erdogan says will disregard European vote on Armenian killings...
- La Turquie rejette par avance le vote du Parlement européen sur le génocide arménien...
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
European Parliament votes to call 1915 Armenian killings genocide...
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - The European Parliament backed a motion on Wednesday calling the massacre a century ago of up to 1.5 million Armenians a genocide, days after Pope Francis used the same term.
Although the resolution repeated language previously adopted by the parliament in 1987, it could raise tensions with Turkey, whose President Tayyip Erdogan said even before the vote took place that he would ignore the result.
After the vote, the Turkish Foreign Ministry accused the parliament of attempting to rewrite history..........reuters.com
15/4/15
EU parliament urges Turkey to recognise 'Armenian genocide'...
ReplyDeleteThe European Parliament Wednesday urged Turkey to use the centenary of Ottoman-era massacres to "recognize the Armenian genocide" and help promote reconciliation between the two peoples.
The parliament voted "by a wide majority," according to the session chair, in favour of the resolution as tension grows over the characterisation of the tragedy ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 1915 killings of Armenians during World War I.
The parliament said it welcomed as a "step in the right direction" remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and others "offering condolences and recognising atrocities against the Ottoman Armenians."............AFP......dailystar.com.lb
15/4/15
Génocide arménien: Ankara continue de protester...
ReplyDeleteUne résolution du Parlement européen appelant la Turquie à reconnaître le génocide arménien risque de raviver les tensions entre Ankara et Bruxelles.
Une résolution du Parlement européen appelant la Turquie à reconnaître le génocide arménien risque de détériorer les relations entre Ankara et Bruxelles, annonce un communiqué du ministère turc des Affaires étrangères dont RIA Novosti a obtenu une copie.
"L'approche unilatérale du Parlement européen aux événements de 1915 risque potentiellement de détériorer les relations entre la Turquie et l'UE. Cela ne contribue pas du tout à résoudre le problème entre la Turquie et l'Arménie", indique le communiqué......http://sptnkne.ws/dQj
16/4/15
Erdoğan says European Parliament’s 1915 vote shows enmity against Turkey...
ReplyDeleteEuropean Parliament vote that urged Turkey to use the centenary of the mass slaughter of Ottoman Armenians as an opportunity to “recognize the Armenian genocide” showcases the enmity against Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said April 16.
“Such decisions are nothing but an expression of enmity against Turkey by abusing Armenians,” he said in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
“We do not take such decisions seriously,” he said, repeating a call for friendship with Armenians. “Come on, let’s leave history to historians. Let’s build ourselves a new future in the light of our common interests and common past,” he said.
The decision is a betrayal of history as it seeks to accuse Turkey by making a pretext out of the grief of the past, according to the president.
Erdoğan said hours before the vote that Turkey, a European Union candidate, would disregard such a vote........hurriyetdailynews.com
16/4/15
Opposition, govt jointly condemn EU parliament...
ReplyDeleteIn a rare move, Turkey’s ruling party and two main opposition parties have come together to issue a joint statement to strongly condemn the European Parliament’s recent resolution terming the 1915 events “genocide.”
The statement was released Thursday evening on behalf of the Turkish parliament speaker, ruling Justice and Development, or AK Party and opposition parties, Republican People's Party, or the CHP, and Nationalist Movement Party, or the MHP.
"We consider the European Parliament's resolution extremely unfortunate and regrettable, and strongly condemn this partial approach which is against the raison d'etre of the European Parliament, which is the idea of establishing peace, tolerance and a common future instead of war and conflict," the statement said.
It said the move again proved the European Parliament's selective and one-sided approach to a period which was tragic for all peoples of the Ottoman Empire.
"This inappropriate resolution is insensitive to all the pain suffered by all peoples in Anatolia during the First World War, only to glorify the pain of the Armenians," it said, adding that as such, it was an "unacceptable" and "void" decision.
The statement also said that with this resolution, the European Parliament acted against the law and almost took on a judicial role on behalf of the European Union, and directed unfair accusations against Turkey that were not consistent with historical facts.....www.aa.com.tr
16/4/15
Γενοκτονία των Αρμενίων (100 χρόνια μετά)..
ReplyDeleteΣυνάντηση Μανώλη Κεφαλογιάννη με Αντιπροσωπεία της Τουρκικής Βουλής για το Ψήφισμα του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου
Ο Μανώλης Κ. Κεφαλογιάννης, Πρόεδρος της Μεικτής Κοινοβουλευτικής Επιτροπής ΕΕ-Τουρκίας και Επικεφαλής των Ευρωβουλευτών της ΝΔ, συναντήθηκε με αντιπροσωπεία της Τουρκικής Βουλής με αφορμή την υιοθέτηση ψηφίσματος του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου για την 100η Επέτειο από τη Γενοκτονία των Αρμενίων.
Ο Μανώλης Κ. Κεφαλογιάννης τόνισε ότι η γενοκτονία των Αρμενίων του 1915 είναι μια ιστορική πραγματικότητα και υπογράμμισε ότι το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο, με ψήφισμά του από το 1987, έχει καλέσει την Τουρκία να αναγνωρίσει το αδιαμφισβήτητο ιστορικό γεγονός της γενοκτονίας των Αρμενίων. Επιπλέον, υπογράμμισε ότι το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο συστηματικά καλεί την τουρκική Κυβέρνηση να προχωρήσει στην αναγνώριση της γενοκτονίας των Αρμενίων, μέσω των ψηφισμάτων του για την Ετήσια Έκθεση Προόδου της Τουρκίας.
Επίσης, στο πλαίσιο της συζήτησης για το θέμα αυτό στο Ευρωπαϊκό Λαϊκό Κόμμα ιδιαίτερη αναφορά έγινε και στη γενοκτονία των Ελλήνων του Πόντου στις αρχές του προηγούμενου αιώνα.
Ο Επικεφαλής των Ευρωβουλευτών της ΝΔ έκανε την εξής δήλωση:
"Σήμερα, το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο με το ψήφισμά του τιμά την επέτειο της γενοκτονίας των Αρμενίων και καταδικάζει κάθε απόπειρα άρνησης του τραγικού αυτού γεγονότος. Η σύγχρονη Τουρκία πρέπει να αποδεχθεί τις τραγικές πράξεις της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας για να προχωρήσει προς το ευρωπαϊκό της μέλλον."
m-k.gr
15/4/15
EU's Schulz told Turkey he understood reaction to genocide vote -sources...
ReplyDeleteEuropean Parliament President Martin Schulz told Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday he "understands" Ankara's reaction to a vote calling the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide, sources in the prime minister's office said.
In a telephone call, Schulz also said the vote was made in his absence, the sources, who declined to be identified, said. There was no immediate comment from Schulz's office.
The European Parliament backed a motion on Wednesday to call the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a genocide, days after Pope Francis triggered fury in Turkey by using the same term.
Muslim Turkey agrees that Christian Armenians were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces that began on April 15, 1915, when large numbers of Armenians lived in the empire ruled by Istanbul, but denies that this amounted to genocide...
President Tayyip Erdogan said even before the vote took place that he would ignore the result.
(Reporting by Gulsen Solaker; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
- Reuters
channelnewsasia.com
16/4/15
Génocide arménien: le Premier turc accuse l'Europe d'être raciste...
ReplyDeleteLe Premier ministre turc Ahmet Davutoglu a sévèrement condamné vendredi la résolution du Parlement européen qui demande à son pays de reconnaître le "génocide" arménien de 1915, affirmant qu'elle symbolisait la montée du "racisme" en Europe.
"S'il veut contribuer à la paix, le Parlement européen ne devrait pas prendre de décisions qui incitent à la haine envers une certaine religion ou un certain groupe ethnique", a déclaré Ahmet Davutoglu devant la presse à Ankara.
"Cette question dépasse désormais la seule question turco-arménienne. C'est un nouveau signe du racisme en Europe", a-t-il ajouté......rtbf.be
17/4/15