Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands – FAON
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31704490209
Email: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Press Release
Commemoration of 94th anniversary of Armenian Genocide
in Assen, The Netherlands
The Hague, 22 April 2009 on Friday 24 April 2009 the Armenian community of
Holland will commemorate the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by
laying wreaths at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Assen, The Netherlands.
The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the cemetery "De Boskamp". Many
interested and prominent people are expected to attend. The programme is
part of the annual commemoration of the Armenian genocide of 1915, which is
organised by 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations
in the Netherlands (FAON).
The commemoration event started this year on Sunday April 19th in the Mozes
and Aaronkerk church in Amsterdam. The event included a meeting and an
exhibition marking 100th anniversary of the massacres of Armenian and other
Christian population of Adana in 1909. During the meeting prominent Dutch,
Jewish, Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian speakers addressed a few hundred
people present.
The Armenians are watching carefully this year to see whether US President
Obama is going to keep to his word and will recognise the Armenian Genocide
on April 24th, in the annual presidential message to the large Armenian
community of the United States. During his election campaign he repeatedly
promised that as president he will recognise the Armenian Genocide. Previous
American presidents also spoke of Armenian Genocide during their election
campaign, but they have broken their campaign promise under heavy Turkish
pressure and did not pronounce the G-word during their presidency. The
Armenians, however, did not give up their hope and expect that President
Obama will, nevertheless, keep his promise. During his state visit to Turkey
some weeks ago, in a press conference, Obama said that his views had not
changed on this matter, but he did not use the term "genocide".
In the last decades Turkey has successfully used her teritorial and
political buffer function to avoid the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the United States and to continue denial policy. Turkey is however now
seriously worried and comes suddenly with manoeuvres for opening the border
between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey tries to avoid the pressure and to
persuade the world that the opening of that border is more important than a
declaration concerning the past. The avoidance of Genocide recognition is of
such weight to Turkey, that she is ready for disputes with Azerbaijan. That
country sees the opening of the closed Turkish-Armenian border because of
the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh as a betrayal of Turkey in her brother
country Azerbaijan.
Turkey is also obliged as candidate country for EU membership to have normal
relations with neighbouring countries. The EU constantly criticises Turkey
for the closed borders and the lack of desire to establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
