GENOCIDE NEGATION POLICY JEOPARDIZES WHOLE WORLD: HOUSE OF LORDS DISCUSSED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

news.am
March 30 2010
Armenia

The necessity of Armenian Genocide recognition internationally is long
overdue, considering its 95th anniversary this year, said Baroness
Caroline Cox today in the House of Lords.

According to her, currently Turkish government denies the fact of
massacres of innumerous Armenians committed in Ottoman Empire in the
beginning of last century, which a dishonest refusal of historical
truth. In spring 1915, the deportation of Armenians separated
men from families, who got shot later in a desert area. Turkish
policy of deportation, extermination and massacres of Armenians is
inconvertible. Consequence of Genocide denial is impunity, having
destructing the Armenian civilization in culture, including in NKR
territory by Azerbaijanis. There was an obvious ethnic cleansing. Each
year visiting Genocide memorial all Armenians commemorate their
victims. The genocide denial policy jeopardizes the whole world,
Baroness Cox underlined.

One of the lords recalled that the Armenian Genocide issue was
widely discussed by Turkish writers. He reckons that Hrant Dink’s
assassination proves the prosecution and persecution of Armenians even
in modern Turkey. Turkey exerts political pressure on media after the
Armenian genocide recognition by the U.S House Committee and Swedish
Parliament. Minister Erdogan being on official visit in UK this
month, opposed the voting, threatening to deport 100.000 Armenians
from Turkey. I urge Minister Erdogan to open dialogue on 1915 events
starting with "Blue Book" and try to overcome the hostility of 100
years and join us with Turkish Grand National Assembly again, he added.

Another official stated that in 1915 Turkish government planned and
organized massacres which were a final solution to Armenia-Turkey
relations, and its end seems to be compelling. If Turkey could apology
to Armenian government for prosecution and persecution of historical
writers presenting the truth of terrible events that took place.

Continuance of denial of what happened began between Turkey and
Armenia, diverts attention from urgent constitutional reforms, that
many Europeans consider necessary within Turkey and its application
for EU membership.

The opinion also against the genocide was voiced as well. One of Lords
said that it would be much more relevant instead of self-indulging
of what happened 100 years ago in Ottoman Empire to settle the issue.

There is no reason or excuse of defending either side, but from my
reading I believe Armenian-Russian attempts provoked the conflict,
that actually resulted in killing of a large number of people in harsh
circumstances. UK should remember 1922 — Kemal Ataturk, ally of UK
and we are grateful for Turkish participation in guarding freedom of
Europe. For that reason I believe we should be very careful not to
alienate our Turkish ally, considering that US congressional committee
only voted by majority in favour of the resolution.

Anther UK official emphasized that Armenian population was annihilated
in the most cruel and barbaric way, it was a crime against humanity
and Armenian people. These events cannot be forgotten, but they have
to move forward – Armenians and Turks should live for a better chance
and future. They initiated diplomatic Protocols on reconciliation
for the first time in the history and the investigation of events of
the past. But process stalled despite pressure from the US. Neither
parliament has yet approved the Protocols, Armenian President Sargsyan
said that Armenian Parliament will ratify the Protocols as soon as
Turkey does so. Within this limited success Erdogan threatens to
deport 100.000 illegal Armenians from the country. Can Baroness tell
what discussions are made between their governments to ease this
tension? Widely accepted that prospects of Turkey’s EU membership
will force to change in a constructive way and examine its past in
his area, she concluded.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Baroness
Kinnock of Holyhead thanked Baroness Cox for initiating debates. She
noted that British deeply regret the deaths of hundreds of thousands
of Armenians who were either killed by Ottoman troops or died from
starvation or disease at the beginning of the previous century. She
stated that the victims of such suffering should not be forgotten.

However, she added that UK Government will not make any statements
that have the potential to jeopardize the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation
process.

The debates in the House of Lords were initiated based on Baroness
Caroline Cox’s proposal.