From: Hagop Katcherian <hagopkatcherian@hotmail.com>
Subject: ANC Sweden: Two Swedish MPs Honor the Victims of The Genocide
PRESS RELEASE
ANC Scandinavia
Hagop Khatcherian
Tel: +46707461495
anc_skand@yahoo.se
Two Swedish MPs Honor the Victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian community in Sweden On the occasion of 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide held several commemoration meetings in different cities in
Sweden. IN Uppsala, on the 24th of April a meeting carried by several
Armenian organizations including , Raffi Cultural Association, Armenian
Relief Society, Homenetmen-Sweden and the Armenian Church , was attended by
several Swedish guest including MP from the Swedish Riksdag. Mr Michael
Oscarson, MP Christian Democrat also participated in the commemoration of
the genocide and held a speech where he said that Ninety-one years ago the
Armenian people experienced terrible suffering and loss of life.
Unfortunately people are not aware of it. We need to work together such that
this very important humanitarian tragedy is captured by the public. Together
with my colleagues I will raise the question of Armenian genocide in the
Riksdag. I will address the Foreign Minister and demand an explanation on
what the Swedish government is doing concerning the denial by Turkey. My
party and I supported those resolutions, and continue to recognize them
today. Last year I was on an official visit to Turkey and every time I met
my colleagues in the Turkish Parliament I took up the Armenian Genocide, but
I was shocked to be met by a wall of silence, and I was even more shocked
when one of them in the end replied, ³we , the Turks are the victims, we
were the ones who were submitted to genocide. In his turn the Swedish MP Mr
Rezene Tesfazion, on behalf of his party the Social Democrats, made a
statement and said that we must never forget the lessons of history I join
with you today in remembering the past I encourage you to continue honoring
your forefathers. H e concluded, this is our duty as human beings .Together
with my colleague Miss TONE Tingsgaard I will try to arise the issue in the
Riksdag. In his statement Mr. Tesfazion honoured not only the memories of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide but extended his sincere greetings to
all of those marking this tragic anniversary . In 2000 the Swedish Riksdag
adopted a motion acknowledging the Armenian genocide .The motion was adopted
on the March 29, 2000 which reads: “An official statement and recognition of
the Genocide of the Armenians is important and necessary. In 1985 the UN and
the European Parliament established the fact that the Ottoman Empire had
committed genocide against the Armenian people in the beginning of the 20th
century. The Standing Committee [on Foreign Affairs] is of the opinion that
the greater openness Turkey demonstrates, the stronger Turkey’s democratic
identity will be. It is therefore important that unbiased independent and
international research on the genocide committed against the Armenian people
be carried out. It is of great importance that an increasing openness and
historical understanding of the events of 1915 and thereafter be developed.
An improvement in this respect would also be of importance for the stability
and the development in the whole Caucasus region.” (Unofficial translation)
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress