Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON)
April 24 Committee For Recognition and Commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915
Address: Weesperstraat 91 – 2574 VS Den Haag
Tel. +31704490209
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Website:
E-mail: armfed@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE

FAON: viewpoints of Coruz and Albayrak still unclear

The Hague 28 September – Despite the explicit and repeated request of the
Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) regarding the
position of candidates of Turkish origin for coming Dutch parliamentary
elections on the Armenian Genocide issue, this question still remains
unclarified for some of them, on the eve of establishment of final lists of
candidates. In World War I about 1,5 million Armenians were killed in the
Ottoman Empire as a result of this Genocide; other Christian minorities,
such as Assyrians and Greeks, became victims as well. Turkey has always
denied this Genocide. Three candidates of Turkish origin, who were on the
draft list for Dutch parliamentary elections, Sacan of Dutch Labour Party –
PvdA, Tonca and Elmaci of Christian Democrat Party – CDA were removed this
week from draft lists of candidates, because they deny the Armenian
genocide.

For instance the position of Coskun Coruz, a current parliamentarian of CDA
faction, is still completely unknown. He is number 19 on the CDA draft list
of candidates.

Nebahat Albayrak, nr. 2 on draft list of Dutch Labour Party – PvdA, did not
give any further clarification of her viewpoint after her, not very
reassuring interview in Dutch daily newspaper Trouw on 26 September, this to
FAON¹s disappointment. FAON today welcomed statements of PvdA leader Mr. Bos
in a debate in the Dutch Parliament, who stated that it is necessary to have
a common view in the party faction on essential matters such as for instance
Genocide matters. Earlier this week, as a result of this principle, Erdinc
Sacan, who could not subscribe the faction position on the Armenian
Genocide, was removed from the PvdA list.

Dutch Labour Party PvdA therefore now will have to indicate whether or not
the statement of Mr. Bos affect Nebahat Albayraks position. Sacan claims in
the newspapers that his and Albayraks viewpoints on the Armenian Genocide
are exactly the same. Nevertheless FAON hopes that Albayrak will explicitly
declare herself in favour of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

FAON calls upon all parties with candidates of Turkish origin to publish the
viewpoints of these candidates as soon as possible. For instance Keklik
Yucel (PvdA, nr. 48), Ali Sarac (PvdA, nr. 61), Fatma Kose Kaya (D66, nr 10)
and Mehmet Demirbag (VVD, nr. 54).