AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 2 2010

Ukraine town reverses decision on Armenian `genocide’
02-04-2010 05:28:49

The administration of Ukraine’s town of Izyum has invalidated its
earlier decision to recognize the alleged World War I-era genocide of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey, the first such instance in the whole
world.

Rahim Humbatov, the leader of the Azerbaijani community in the
Ukrainian region of Crimea, said the cancellation of the previous
measure, passed on New Year’s eve, was ordered at a regular session of
the Izyum city council.

Humbatov said the Azerbaijani community has achieved the revocation of
the measure in conclusion of long-lasting efforts.
`This decision was contradictory to Ukraine’s legislation, and a local
self-administration body is not authorized to adopt such decisions. We
had appealed to the Izyum prosecutor’s office to give a legal
assessment to the city council’s decision. After a lengthy struggle,
we achieved cancellation of the illegitimate and unfair decision.

`It is high time a struggle is waged internationally against the
decisions to recognize the alleged genocide of Armenians. There are
more grounds than it is necessary for this,’ the community leader
said.

Armenians residing in Turkey’s Anatolia region staged riots during
World War I and fought against the Ottoman army in support of Russia.
In an effort to end stand-off, the Ottoman government decided in 1915
to resettle the Armenians to other parts of the country. Armenians say
1.5 million of their ancestors were killed in the process, a claim
strenuously dismissed by Turkey, and have been trying to muster
international support for the recognition of the alleged genocide
worldwide.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress