Press Release
FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (FAON)
24 April Committee
Weesperstraat 91
NL – 2574 VS The Hague
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Tel. 070 4490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
The Netherlands recognises Armenian Genocide
The Hague, 21 December 2004 – The Armenian Federation announces with
satisfaction that today the Dutch Parliament has adopted unanimously
a motion concerning the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Armenian community of The Netherlands has been insisting at the
Dutch Parliament and the government on recognition of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 for many years. Especially last year, in the run-up
to and during the Dutch presidency of EU, the 24 April Committee
of the Armenian Federation has persistently campaigned to bring the
Armenian question under the attention of the Members of Parliament
and the Dutch public.
The motion was introduced during the debate on the outcome of
the European Summit of last Friday in connection with the start of
accession negotiations with Turkey. In that debate nearly all fractions
asked the government about the absence of the Armenian Genocide issue
in the Presidency conclusions. This in spite of commitment by among
others France and the European Parliament and also by Dutch Foreign
Minister Bot himself, who ensured the Dutch Parliament that the
Armenian question has always been brought up at the meetings with
the Turkish colleagues. The majority of the Parliament Members had
asked to pay attention to this point.
In the motion adopted by the Parliament the government is asked “to
bring up the recognition of the Armenian Genocide continuously and
expressly in the dialogue with Turkey”.
This motion has been introduced by the Chairman of Christian Union
fraction Mr. Rouvoet and supported by all other political parties in
the Parliament.