UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL PASSES RESOLUTION "PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE" ON INITIATIVE OF ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
March 28, 2008
GENEVA, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The UN Human Rights Council on March
28 passed the resolution "Prevention of Genocide" in Geneva on the
initiative of Armenia. This is the first resolution aimed at prevention
of genocide, which has been adopted in the UN himan rights system.
The resolution is a continuation of the previous initiatives on
genocide prevention that Armenia has undertaken in the UN and aims to
discuss issues related to regulation of the use of early prevention
mechanisms and the development of early warning signs.
Armenia follows the principle that early prevention of mass violations
of rights of national, racial, religious and ethnic groups is the
fundamental principle of preventing such violations from turning
into crimes against humanity, including genocide. Over the past 60
years – since the adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the international community
has observed some progress in terms of development of the legal
framework of prevention but it is necessary now to improve the
existing principles and use practical mechanisms. Based on the
resolution, Armenia proposed organizing discussions in the UN system
this year with the participation of states, UN bodies, civil society,
in particular scientific circles.
Adoption of the resolution is symbolic because the 60th anniversary
of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide is marked this year. At the suggestion of Armenia, jubilee
events dedicated to this anniversary will be held in the UN system.
According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, when
presenting the resolution, Armenia’s Resident Representative,
Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanian said that the prevention of genocides
and the adoption of this resolution underlines once more the moral
responsibility of the international community towards the victims of
the genocides.
The resolution was co-authored by 58 states, including all EU
countries, Switzerland, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico,
Norway, etc.