UN CHIEF WON’T CALL 1915 SLAUGHTER OF ARMENIANS ‘GENOCIDE’

The Times of Israel
April 14 2015

Secretary-general brands murder of estimated 1.5 by Ottomans ‘atrocity
crimes,’ but doesn’t follow Pope Francis’s lead

By Edith M. Lederer

NITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon considers the
slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago “atrocity
crimes,” but he isn’t supporting Pope Francis’ description of the
killings as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” the UN spokesman
said Monday.

Turkey denies the killings were genocide and in response to the pope’s
comments on Sunday Ankara recalled its Vatican ambassador and accused
Francis of spreading hatred.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed
by Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by
scholars as genocide. But Turkey insists the death toll has been
inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Ban took note of
the pope’s comments and is fully aware of “the sensitivities related
to the characterization of what happened” in 1915 and the April
24 commemoration of the 100th anniversary of “the tragic events”
by Armenia and others around the world.

He said the secretary-general firmly believes that the commemoration
and continuing cooperation between Armenians and Turks “with a view
to establishing the facts about what happened should strengthen our
collective determination to prevent similar atrocity crimes from ever
happening in the future.”

Dujarric said in response to a question that Ban did not envision an
international commission to examine the facts, saying: “There’ve been
discussions with the countries concerned, and communities concerned
and I think it’s important that those discussions continue.”

He sidestepped several questions on whether the secretary-general
agreed with the pope’s characterization, and whether Francis was
right to raise the issue.

“The UN has sought to strengthen the capacity of the international
community to prevent such atrocity crimes from ever occurring,”
Dujarric said.

The pope made the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian church
leaders and President Serge Sarkisian. Francis said it was his duty
to honor the memory of the innocent men, women and children who were
“senselessly” murdered by Ottoman Turks.

Earlier Monday, the European Union urged Turkey and Armenia to
normalize ties.

The two countries signed an agreement in 2009 to open their borders
and establish diplomatic relations but it has not been implemented.

EU foreign affairs spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said the EU encourages
the countries “to consider additional, meaningful steps that would
pave the way toward full reconciliation.”