PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CONTINUES … AND QUITE ACTIVELY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 24 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The process of
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide continues to
expand. It proceeds rather differently in various countries and
instances, which makes the classification of the respective phenomena
quite difficult. In the summary below we have tried to present a
brief description of the process, not always following strictly the
legal accuracy of the term "recognition." Indeed, one state adopts
a parliamentary resolution, another – a statement, yet a third one
passes a law. In our opinion, all these are forms of recognition,
even though the term "genocide" is not always used. We have only
classified these legal acts by their adoption time and the bodies
that adopted them, providing comments if necessary.
Immediate Reactions
THe first official reactions to the Armenian massacres committed
by the Turkish government in 1915 and the following few years came
immediately in those years. To recap, the term "genocide" did not
exist at that time: it was adopted in 1948 in the text of the UN
convention of the same name. The following acts are noteworthy:
– the joint declaration adopted by France, Great Britain and Russia
on May 24, 1915, stated that massacres were committed in a number of
Armenian settlements in mid April, and the government of the Ottoman
Empire took certain steps against the Armenian population of the
country. The governments of the Entente declared that all members of
the Ottoman Empire’s government are responsible for all the crimes.
– the US Congress and Senate turned to Armenian massacres several
times, particularly by appealing to the US President to take measures
aimed at helping the victims. These were: the Senate’s Concurrent
Resolution of February 9, 1916, the Congress’ Act to Incorporate Near
East Relief of August 6, 1919, as well as the May 11, 1920 decision of
the Senate to recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia,
which said that "the truth about the large-scale massacres and other
crimes committed against the Armenian people was clearly uncovered."
– The Sharif of Mecca Al-Husayn Ibn ‘Ali in 1917 condemned the
Armenians’ massacre0. The verdict of July 5, 1919 by Turkey’s Military
Tribunal that found the Young Turks’ government guilty of Armenian
massacres can also be included in this list.
State Recognitions
The first act of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide took place
in a country and at a time quite unexpected in every respect. This
was in Uruguay, a country situated very far from our region. The
recognition came 50 years after the Genocide when this issue was not
"definitely solved" even in the Soviet Armenia. It happened as follows:
– the parliament of Uruguay on March 26, 1965, passed the Law on Day
of Remembrance of Armenian Martyrs.
Later the following acts were adopted:
– the April 29, 1982 decision of the House of Representatives of
Cyprus,
– The April 14, 1995 the statement of the Russian Federation State
Duma on condemnation of the Armenian Genocide: April 24 was declared
Day of Remembrance of the Genocide Victimes.
– Canada’s House of Commons on April 23, 1996 passed a resolution in
connection with the 81st anniversary of the tragedy of the Armenian
people. By the resolution, April 20-27 is declared and commemorated
as a week of inhuman treatment of people. The Senate’s House of
Representatives also adopted resolutions on June 13, 2002 and April
21, 2004.
– the Greek parliament on April 25, 1996 made a decision, according to
which April 24 is a Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian
Genocide Committed by Turkey in 1915.
– the Lebanese parliament adopted several resolutions, including
those of April 3, 1997 and of May 11, 2000.
– Belgium’s Senate in March 1998 passed a resolution on recognition
of the Armenian Genocide committed by Turkey in 1915.
– The Italian parliament did the same on November 16, 2000.
– Switzerland’s National Assembly – on December 16, 2003.
– Slovakia’s National Assembly – on Novemeber 30, 2004.
– The Netherlands’ House of Representatives – on December 21, 2004.
– The National Assembly of Venezuela – on July 14, 2005.
– The Lithuanian Seimas – on December 16, 2005.
– France adopted numerous acts: on May 29, 1998, the National Assembly
of France officially recognized the Genocide – the bill was passed
by the Senate on November 7, 2000 and became the law on January 29,
2001. On October 12, 2006 the National Assembly passed the bill
determining criminal responsibility for the denial of the Armenian
Genocide. In order to come into force, the bill has to be approved
by the French Senate and signed by the country’s president.
– Argentina also passed numerous acts: on May 5, 1993 the Senate
adopted a resolution, in which it expressed its solidarity with the
Armenian community that became the victim of the first genocide in
the 20th century. Statements and resolutions were also adopted on
April 22, 1998, August 20, 2003, March 31, 2004. In January 2006,
a law declaring April 24 Day of Tolerance and Respect among Peoples
was passed in Argentina.
– The House of Representatives of the US Congress on April 9,
1975 adopted a resolution, by which April 24 of the same year
was declared an international day of inhuman treatment of people,
and requested the U.S. President to make an appeal, in which the
president will urge to mark April 24 as day of remembrance of all
genocide victims, particularly, Armenians subjected to genocide in
1915. Similar resolutions were adopted on September 12, 1984 and June
11, 1996. U.S. presidents, starting from Ronald Reagan (on April 22,
1982), have included the issue of the Armenian Genocide in their
annual addresses. In 1994-2000, U.S. presidents made statements in
connection with April 24 every year, using the wording "displacement
and mass killings" instead of the word "genocide."
– the Permanent Commission of Foreign Relations of the Swedish
parliament on March 29, 2000 passed a resolution, in which an
opinion was expressed that it is necessary to conduct an impartial
international study on the genocide committed against the Armenian
people.
– Pope John Paul II and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II on
November 10, 2000 issued a joint communique, in which the Armenian
Genocide is referred to.
– The British government mentioned for the first time the Armenian
Genocide during the ceremony of the Holocaust commemoration in
January 2002.
– The German Bundestag on June 15, 2005 passed a resolution, in which
it paid a tribute to the memory of the Armenians killed before and
during World War I, not using the word "genocide." Interestingly, the
resolution contains an accusation not only against Turkey but also
against the German government of that time, which "did not attempt
to intervene in these atrocities and stop them."
Local (Inter State) Acts
There have been many cases when parts of a country (its cities or
provinces) made decisions recognizing the Armenian Genocide in some
way or other. Such cases mostly take place in the countries which
have not recognized the Armenian Genocide at the national level (for
example, the US), but there have also been cases of adopting local
decisions in addition to a decision at the national level (Argentina
is a typical example).
– In the U.S., acts on recognition of the Armenian Genocide have been
adopted by 46 states and many cities.
– 35 subjects of Italy (cities, provinces, regions) have already
officially recognized the Armenian Genocide.
– The legislative body of Buenos Aires passed the respective
declaration on April 16, 1998.
– The government of the Swiss Canton of Geneva officially recognized
the Armenian Genocide on December 10, 2001.
– The parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales on April
17, 1997 adopted a resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide
and declaration of April 24 as Day of Remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide Victims. There have been many such cases in Canada, France,
Great Britain (Wales).
Interstate Statements and Statements of Other Organizations
– The issue of the Armenian Genocide was addressed in the report
of the UN Commission on Military Crimes (May 28, 1948), and in the
report of the UN Subcommittee on Discrimination Prevention and Ethnic
Minorities Protection Issues (July 2, 1985).
– A report on extermination and deportation of Armenians was made at
the 6th Assembly of the World Council of Churches on August 10, 1983.
– The Europeam parliament recognized the fact of genocide of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1917 in its resolution of June 18,
1987. The parliament admits that the present-day Turkey may not bear
responsibility for the crimes against Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
and no political, legal and material claims towards Turkey may proceed
from the fact of the Genocide recognition. Resolutions related to the
Armenian Genocide in some way or other were also passed on November
15, 2000, February 28, 2002, etc.
– The Union of American Hebrew Congregations adopted a resolution on
the issue of the Genocide on November 7, 1989.
– The Association of Genocide Scholars examined the issue of the
Armenian Genocide on June 13, 1997. In its opinion, the 1915 Genocide
corresponds to the criteria of the UN Convention on Genocide Prevention
and Punishment.
– Expressing their personal opinions, 51 members of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on April 24, 1998 passed a
written declaration, which states that April 24, 1915 marked the start
of implementation of the plan of exterminating Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire. Among those who put their signatures to this declaration was
Lord Russell Johnston, the then PACE President. Another 82 MPs joined
the document on May 14, 2001.
– The People’s Permanent Tribunal on April 16, 1984 returned a verdict,
which recognizes the genocide of Armenians as an international crime,
for which the Turkish state must bear responsibility.
– The Executive Committee of the European Alliance of the Young Men’s
Christian Association (YMCA) on March 18, 2001 passed a resolution in
Yerevan, in which it recognized and condemned "the genocide committed
against the Armenian people at the beginning of the 20th century."
– An international conference of the European Interparliamentary
Orthodox Assembly (EIOA) member states condemned the Armenian Genocide
committed in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire (the conference was held in
Yerevan on February 21-22, 2001 with the participation of EIOA member
states and over 20 European countries).
– The 57th session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva
on April 25, 2001 unanimously adopted the resolution "convention
on prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide, which was
presented on Armenia’s initiative.
– The organization International Center for Transitional Justice on
February 10, 2003 presented the results of an analysis made at the
request of the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation commission, according
to which the events of 1915 entirely correspond to the definition of
"genocide".
– The Chief Rabbi of Israel Iona Mezger on November 22, 2005 visited
the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex of Armenian Genocide Victims
and stated that he recognizes the 1915 Armenian Genocide.