EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
For Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 2 732 70 26
Tel/Fax: +32 2 732 70 27
Email : contact@eafjd.org

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
17th June 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel/Fax :+32 2 732 70 27

EUROPEAN DECLARATION ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SENT TO THE ENTIRE
EUROPEAN COUNCIL

Brussels, Belgium (17th June 2005) The European Armenian Federation
yesterday forwarded a Europe-wide public declaration, launched on
the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, to the
heads of the 25 members States of the European Union gathered at the
Brussels Summit on the 16th and 17th of June.

Hundreds of European associations, organizations and institutions
have already signed this declaration, which calls on the European
Council and the European Commission to establish, as a formal
requirement within the negotiations framework for Turkey’s potential
membership in the European Union, the necessity that Turkey abide by
resolutions adopted by the European Parliament since 2000 demanding
its acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide.

“While seeking to maintain the image of a state committed to accepting
its responsibilities,” wrote the Federation in a letter accompanying
the declaration, “Turkey, in practice, continues to escalate its
aggressive denial campaign and to pressure the European Union to avoid
this issue altogether.” In light of Turkey’s stark hypocrisy, “only
a clear and decisive approach on the part of the European Union will
lead to any meaningful progress in this area,” said Hilda Tchoboian,
chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.

“The European citizens represented in this declaration hold that the
democratically expressed views of the people of Europe, as expressed
European Parliament, must be reflected in the actual decision-making
concerning Europe’s future,” concluded Tchoboian.