SPEECH OF SLOVAKIAN DEPUTY MILOSHKA AT THE PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSION OF
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

BRATISLAVA, December 3 (Noyan Tapan). As we have already stated,
Frantishek Mikloshka, a Slovakian deputy from the Christian Democratic
Party, the first Parliament speaker of the country, played a great
role in the Parliament’s adopting the resolution recognizing the
Armenian Genocide. Mikoshka was the author of the resolution. Below we
present the text of his speech provided by NT correspondent in
Bratislava.

“On the Christmas of 1990, immediately after the first free elections
of that year, the Slovakian National Assembly adopted its first
historical statement, a request for apology addressed to all the
Jewish compatriots for their deportation in 1939-1945 and the tragic
aftermath.

In February 1991, the Slovakian National Assembly adopted another
statement addressed to the Carpathian Germans who had lived in the
territory of our country for centuries. It was again a request for
apology for their collective deportation. Meanwhile, the Slovakian
Parliament verified the principle of collective sin.

Thus, we were eager to start a new era in 1989. A retrospective glance
with acknowledgement of one’s own sins may be a reliable glance at the
future. I tell you this, because today I am going to speak of a key
issue, the Genocide that the Ottoman Empire committed against the
Armenian people in 1915.

True, as introduction to the aforementioned statements we, as the
representatives of Slovakia, commented on our own problems, but it is
also true that in the global unification of continents and the world,
as well as in conditions of freedom and democracy, there exist no
internal problems of a country, especially when the matter concerns a
crime against the humanity and it is also true that the Turkish state,
of which we speak today, has refused to recognize the Armenian
Genocide so far.

What has occurred in reality?

Two million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire during the World War
I. The decision to commit a Genocide against Armenians was made by the
Ottoman authorities in 1915. Over a million people were deported and
expelled to the Der Zor desert of Syria in 1915. Thousands were
cruelly massacred in places. Many died of hunder in the way, others
died of exhaustion and epidemies in concentration camps. Mass
deportation and massacre were carried out by Turkish nationalists in
1920-1923. Those nationalists were representing a new political union
against Young Turks who had adopted a similar ethnic and ideological
orientation. Thousands of Armenians fled to Russia where they lived as
refugees. The so-called regiment of Young Turks intruded into the
Caucasus in 1918 where about 1.8 mln. Armenians lived under the
Russian ruling. The Ottoman units crossed Azerbaijan to get to
Southern Armenia and continue massacres. It is well known that over
1.5 million Armenians were killed in 1915-1918. The historic Armenia
and minor Asia had been relieved of Armenians by 1923. The Armenian
community was abolished from that part of the world.

What’s the situation today?

Turkey has not recognized the 1915 Armenian Genocide so far. As soon
as Armenia was declared an independent state, Turkey closed the border
with Armenia. Armenia has neither a short way to Europe nor any
economic or diplomatic relations with Turkey. The Turkish Parliament
has adopted a law condemning any public statement about the Armenian
Genocide or the division of Cyprus. The Armenian community now living
in Turkey is usually exposed to political pressure as a national
minority.

When stepping on Poland Hitler stated: “Who speaks of the Armenian
Genocide today?”

In what way are his words being carried out today and how does the
world feel for this tragedy?

Statements, declarations and laws on the Armeniand Genocide have been
adopted by the governments and parliaments of the following countries
so far.

Canada adopted it in 2004, Argentine in 2004, Uruguay in 1965, 2004,
Switzerland in 2003, European Parliament in 1987, 2000, 2002, Italy in
2000, Vatican in 2000, UN in 1985, France in 2000, Libya in 1997,
2000, Sweden in 2000, Belgium in 1998, Greece in 2003, Russia in 1995,
Cyprus in 1982, the United States in 1916, 1920, 1984, 1996.

Theodor Rousevelt once stated “…The Armenian Genocide has been the
most serious war crime, thus the inability to oppose to the Ottoman
Empire means to forgive those actions. A weak or non radical treatment
of the Turkish horror means wasing empty promises and ordinary
nonsense providing guarantees of peaceful future…”

Unfortunately, the decades that followed came to prove his rightness.

Let us express our consolidation to this small nation with ancient
history and culture, the people who have struggled for survival
throughout their existence.

Joining the aformentioned countries I suggest that the Slovakian
National Assembly adopt a Statement on the 1915 Armenian Genocide.”