CYPRIOT PARLIAMENT LEADER CALLS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Asbarez
Nov 23rd, 2009

Cypriot House of Representatives President Marios Garoyian

NICOSIA (Financial Mirror)-The President of the Greek Cypriot House
of Representatives called for the international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide on Sunday, the Financial Mirror reported.

"I believe we have the duty to remember the Armenian Genocide and
reaffirm our steadfast faith towards the struggle for international
recognition of that terrible crime which marked the fate and the
course of the Armenian people," said Marios Garoyian, speaking after
Sunday mass at the Armenian Church of Nicosia.

"We ask for justice," he added. "We demand the restoration of the
historic truth, not its falsification."

The Parliament of Cyprus was the first in the EU to officially
recognize the Armenian Genocide, in 1982.

Garoyian pointed to recent attempt by Turkey to normalize relations
with Armenia as another attempt by Turkey to deny justice to the
Armenian people. He described agreements signed by Yerevan and Ankara
as an "attempt of the Turkish government" to falsify history though
so-called peace with Armenia.

The Cypriot leader drew a connection with the struggle for the
Armenian people’s struggle for justice and the efforts by Cyprus to
overcome nearly 3 decades of Turkish occupation of the northern half
of the island.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops invaded and
occupied the north, installing a government controlled by Ankara.

"Justice and freedom is what we want for our common country, Cyprus,
which for 35 years now suffers the consequences of the Turkish invasion
and occupation," Garoyian said.

"We want a just, functional and viable solution, that would restore
the unity of Cyprus’ territory, its people, its institutions and that
would safeguard human rights for all its people, Greek Cypriots and
Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins and bring an end
to the Turkish occupation of Cyprus, to Ankara’s policy to illegally
bring settlers to the island, to Turkish guarantees and intervention
rights," he stressed.

Garoyian said that the peace solution in Cyprus must be based on
international law, UN values and decisions, human rights and the EU
values and principles.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress