Author: nina hovnanian

FROM ARCHIVES EMERGES A CATHOLIC WHO AIDED ARMENIANS’ PLIGHT

Catholic Philly
April 20 2015

By Lou Baldwin

Some Armenian refugees such as these did survive the genocide that left
up to 1.5 million Christian Armenians dead. It has has been called
the first genocide of the 20th century. (Philadelphia Archdiocesan
Historical Research Center)

At a time when Christians of all denominations are being attacked by
radical Muslims in many first parts of the world, it is the centenary
of what has been called the first genocide of the 20th century: the
slaughter of between 1 million and 1.5 million Christian Armenians
by Muslim Turks and Kurds in 1915, with sporadic violence against
the remaining Armenian refugees for the next decade.

“Men, women and children were turned out of their homes, marched
to exhaustion and starved, beaten and burned to death by the tens
of thousands,” Archbishop Chaput wrote in his March 5 column on
CatholicPhilly.com.

Pope Francis, during a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, April
12 to commemorate the massacre, used the term “genocide,” to which
the Turkish government strenuously objected.

To put it in context, in 1915 Turkey’s Ottoman Empire, of which Armenia
was part, was along with Germany and Austria at war with the United
Kingdom, France and Russia, among others. The United States was then
neutral, although after it entered the war it opposed only Germany
and Austria, not Turkey.

Although the Turkish Empire was largely Muslim, most Armenians were
Christian, members of the Armenian Apostolic Church with a history
they believe traces back to the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus.

Armenia also bordered Russia, which was Christian, and the Turks feared
the Armenians would rebel and fight for the Russians, and some did.

In retaliation Turkey put in place a ruthless policy that saw most
Armenian men in the area near Russia killed and the women and children
sent on what was a virtual death march to other parts of the empire.

While Turkey to this day continues to deny a genocide took place,
eyewitnesses from that era testified otherwise.

In a dispatch to the American ambassador in Constantinople, the
local American Consul Leslie Davis wrote in July 1915, “It has been
no secret that the plan was to destroy the Armenian Race as a race,
but the methods used have been more cold-blooded and barbarous if
not more effective than I had at first supposed.”

The massacres did not end in 1915, and for the next decade people of
good will from around the world contributed vast sums of money for
the relief of the large number of now-scattered Armenian refugees.

Walter George Smith, shown in 1923, was a prominent Catholic lawyer
in Philadelphia who raised money and awareness of the Armenians.

(Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center)

Walter George Smith was a prominent Catholic Philadelphia lawyer who
engaged in the relief efforts and visited the region from November
1920 through February 1921.

“In the long history of human government,” Smith would later write,
“there can scarcely be found a parallel to the tragic fate of this
gallant people. Of Aryan race though seated for centuries in Asia,
they have never lost their national characteristics. We of the Western
world have been slow to realize their value to the cause of Christian
civilization.”

At the end of the war and the capitulation of Turkey, the Treaty of
Sevres signed by Turkey dissolved the Ottoman Empire and stipulated
the borders of an independent Armenia were to be set by the President
of the United States, even though the U.S. had not been at war
with Turkey. It was even suggested the U.S. accept Armenia as a
protectorate.

Ultimately President Woodrow Wilson did nothing, probably because (as
today) he was a Democratic president with a Republican Congress that
wanted no parts of further foreign entanglements to the point that
Congress even prevented the U.S. from joining the League of Nations.

Nevertheless, with hundreds of thousands of Armenians in refugee
camps around the Middle East and Eastern Europe, private citizens
in the U.S. raised more than $100 million for Armenian relief, a sum
that would translate into more than $1.3 billion today. Some of the
donors were from the Armenian diaspora, many others were members of
churches, mostly Protestant, that had missionaries in the region but
there were Catholics also.

Possibly the most prominent American Catholic to champion the plight
of the Armenian Christians was Smith. He was the son of a Civil War
general, a former president of the American Bar Association, a former
president of the American Catholic Historical Society, a 1923 winner
of Notre Dame University’s Laetare Medal and a brother-in-law to St.

Katharine Drexel.

He was very active with Armenian Relief especially in the early
1920s, and served as president of the Armenian Relief Society. The
now Sovietized Russia occupied that section of Armenia that bordered
with it and the rest remained under control of the new government in
Turkey headed by Mustafa Kamal (Ataturk).

Although secular, Turkey ignored the terms of the Sevres Agreement.

Neither the European powers nor the United States did anything to
enforce the peace agreement. It would not be until 1991, with the
collapse of the Soviet Union, that the section of Armenia that was
under its control became a free and independent republic.

Smith, whose personal papers are held in the archives of the
Archdiocese of Philadelphia, could not know this future and by 1924
was pessimistic for Armenia.

Writing in New Armenia magazine that year he described the Armenians,
“…to their eternal glory there remains the truth that among all
Christian peoples they stand unique or nearly so in accepting death
rather than treason to their Christian faith. Men, women and children
have gone through fire and water, have literally sacrificed everything
that this world counts as good rather than trample on the Cross.

Surely, under the Providence of God, justice will one day be done
to them.”

ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TURKEY AWARDED EU CULTURAL HERITAGE AWARD

18:46, 22 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Church of St. Giragos in Diyarbakir (Tigranakert)
was awarded the Prize for Cultural Heritage by the European Union,
Anadolu Agency reports.

“This church should be known all around the world,” head of the St.

Giragos Church Foundation, Ergun Ayık, said on Wednesday.

The church was built in 1376 and restored in 2011.

Ayık noted that the award was prestigious not only for the church
and the region, but also for the whole country.

He stated that he was pleased with the fact that the church was saved
from destruction and added that six years ago, no one believed the
restoration of the church would take place.

“Armenians from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands
come here to visit the church,” said Ayık, adding that the complex
contributed to boosting tourism in the province.

The ceremony for the European Union Cultural Heritage Awards will be
held on June 11 in Oslo.

NOT TAKING SIDES WITH VICTIM MEANS TAKING SIDES WITH CRIMINAL – YAIR AURON

20:38 * 22.04.15

Denying genocide is a basis for new genocides, Yair Auron, an Israeli
historian, scholar and expert specializing on Holocaust and Genocide
studies, said at the International Social and Political Forum against
the Crime of Genocide in Yerevan.

If only about 25 countries have to date recognized the Armenian
Genocide, the world cannot prevent further genocides, Mr Auron said.

This is not only an Armenian-Turkish problem, but also a panhuman
problem, he added.

Speaking of the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, he said that
Armenian are victims of both genocide and denial of the fact by Turkey.

According to him, Armenians will continue suffering the consequences
of denialism.

Mr Auron points out the need to find a way to unity and to survival
of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

As regards Turkey, Mr Auron said that a democratic society is
impossible to build up without recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
and Turkey must admit the Armenian Genocide.

Speaking of the United states, he said that the US does not recognize
the Armenian Genocide. Full stop.

Mr Auron points out the need recognition by the political leader.

Germany should have been one of the first nations to recognize the
Armenian Genocide. Considering its own past, Germany must recognize
the Armenian Genocide just as it admits the Jewish Holocaust, he said.

Most people are indifferent, and people are killed throughout the
world every minute. But it cannot be helped.

There is no neutral side. One can only be supportive of the victim
or the criminal. Denying the Armenian Genocide means taking sides
with Turkey, and one must decide because it is a moral question.

The Armenian Genocide is a moral issue for Mr Auron rather than a
political or legal one.

With respect to Israel, he said that, regrettably, his country denies
the Armenian Genocide though it should have been the first nation
to recognize it. However, by denying the Armenian Genocide Israel
consigns the memory of Jewish victims to oblivion, Mr Auron said.

DONALD BLOXHAM: THIS IS ABSOLUTE GENOCIDE IN HISTORY OF GENOCIDES

14:39 22/04/2015 ” SOCIETY

This is an absolute genocide in the history of genocides: the number
of killed in 1915 clearly demonstrates that this is a genocide,
Donald Bloxham, Professor of History, Edinburgh University, said at
the International Social and Political Global Forum against the Crime
of Genocide.

He emphasized that one does not need to be an international lawyer
to understand that the Armenian issue is defined as genocide.

Mr Bloxham noted that in 1916-1917 the other Christians were also
annihilated by the Ottoman Empire, adding that these processes were
interrelated.

ANKARA SHOULD UNDERSTAND, THE WAY IT’S CHOSEN DOESN’T LEAD ANYWHERE: ARMENIA’S DEPUTY FM

15:58, 22 April, 2015

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS: The recent statements made by the
Turkish state officials prove that the leadership of that country has
cut off the reality with its denial policy. “I do not envy them. There
are facts and truths, going against which, even implicitly, in a
degenerate form, does not change the reality. The Turkish authorities
should understand something. With that denial policy they resemble
the leaders of the Ottoman Empire, who had committed the genocide”,
– said the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan, Armenpress reports.

To the question of Armenpress, if there are Armenian-Turkish relations
at the moment, Kocharyan answered:

“This is a new page and Ankara should seriously think over it: the
way it has chosen today, does not lead anywhere”.

ISRAEL GRAPPLES WITH WHETHER TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

19:47, 22 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Nachman Shai of Israel’s Zionist Union Party says “it’s time for Israel
to to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, The Associated Press reports.

Shai will travel to Armenia on April 24 with a group of lawmakers
to participate in the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. The delegation is under strict instructions to
refer to the killings as a “national tragedy” rather than “genocide”

“In foreign policy, there are interests and there are values,” he
told The Associated Press. “In this case I think values should trump
interests. As Jews, we must recognize it.”

Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, a top official at the Jerusalem Armenian
Patriarchate, said he was pleased Israel was sending a delegation to
the ceremony but said it should go further.

“We, the Armenians and the Jewish people, have suffered the same fate,
and the Armenian genocide has served as a predecessor to the Jewish
Holocaust,” said Shirvanian, himself a descendent of survivors. “So
Israel should have been actually one of the first countries to support
and recognize the Armenian genocide.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Israel’s official
position hasn’t changed and refused to elaborate when pressed to
explain why not.

“We are extremely sensitive and sympathetic to the terrible tragedy
of the Armenians during the First World War,” he said. “One thing is
the historic debate over how to label the tragedy and the other is the
recognition that something terrible happened to the Armenian people,
and that is much more important.”

Only two dozen, mostly Western, countries have officially recognized
the genocide, including Canada, France, Italy and Argentina. Isaac
Lubelsky, who teaches genocide studies at the Open University in Tel
Aviv, said the United States and Israel were both “glaringly absent”
from the list.

“The time has come to listen to the feelings and the conscience of
the countries of the enlightened world and to recognize, without fear,
the Armenian genocide,” he wrote in the Maariv daily.

A group of prominent Israeli academics, artists and former generals
and politicians recently signed a petition calling on Israel to follow
the pope’s lead and recognize the genocide.

“As the children of a people that has known a Holocaust and which
fights against its denial, it behooves us to show special sensitivity
to the disaster of another people,” the petition reads.

Yossi Sarid, a former leader of the dovish Meretz party and an
outspoken critic of what he called Israel’s “cynical” stance, was
even more blunt. As education minister in 2000, he gave a landmark
speech to an Armenian church in Jerusalem recognizing their genocide,
and as a result became persona non grata in Turkey.

But he says the United States, not Turkey, is standing in the way of
Israeli recognition.

“Ultimately, we are a satellite state of the United States. When
America finally decides to recognize it I suppose we will as well,”
he told the AP.

But he said Israel should have led the way. The German Nazis and their
collaborators murdered 6 million Jews during World War II, wiping
out a third of world Jewry, and Israel has been at the forefront of
international efforts to combat its denial.

“We are after all the ‘experts’ on genocide, so it is doubly
important,” he said. “But in a way, we too are Holocaust deniers,
so long as it isn’t our Holocaust.”

AZERBAIJANI FORCES INTENSIVELY VIOLATE CEASEFIRE IN KARABAKH

17:55 22/04/2015 >> SOCIETY

The armed forces of Azerbaijan continue to intensively violate the
ceasefire regime on the Line of Contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, the
press service of Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army reports.

The enemy violated the ceasefire about 220 times on the night of April
22. More than 5,500 shots were fired from mortars, grenade launchers
and anti-aircraft guns.

The frontline forces of Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army adequately
responded to the enemy’s aggression and confidently carried out their
military duty.

Related: Karabakh Defense Army: Azerbaijan attempts subversive raid

Source: Panorama.am

OBAMA NOT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

00:38, 22 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

White House briefs Armenian American leaders about the President’s
decision to exclude “Armenian Genocide” from his April 24th Centennial
Statement

US President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Deputy
National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes confirmed to Armenian American
leaders, during a White House meeting this afternoon, that the
President has chosen against recognizing the Armenian Genocide in his
April 24th statement marking the worldwide centennial of this crime.

“President Obama’s surrender to Turkey represents a national disgrace.

It is, very simply, a betrayal of truth, a betrayal of trust,” said
ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian.

“With the world’s attention drawn this April 24th to worldwide
Armenian Genocide Centennial commemorations, President Obama will,
tragically, use the moral standing of our nation not to defend the
truth, but rather to enforce of a foreign power’s gag-rule. He has
effectively outsourced America’s policy on the Armenian Genocide to
Recep Erdogan,” said Hachikian.

“As Americans of Armenian heritage – despite the repeated surrender
of President Obama to foreign pressure – we will, with our allies,
continue to work, with increased vigor and determination, to build
American support for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian
Genocide,” he added.

Prior to his election to the oval office, President Obama was clear
and unequivocal in promising to properly characterize Ottoman Turkey’s
murder of over 1.5 million Armenian men, women and children between
1915 and 1923 as genocide. In a January 19, 2008, statement he wrote:
“The facts are undeniable. An official policy that calls on diplomats
to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy. As a senator,
I strongly support passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.106 and S.Res.106), and as President I will recognize the
Armenian Genocide.”

The U.S. first recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1951 through a
filing which was included in the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Report titled: “Reservations to the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.” The specific reference to the
Armenian Genocide appears on page 25 of the ICJ Report: “The Genocide
Convention resulted from the inhuman and barbarous practices which
prevailed in certain countries prior to and during World War II,
when entire religious, racial and national minority groups were
threatened with and subjected to deliberate extermination. The
practice of genocide has occurred throughout human history. The Roman
persecution of the Christians, the Turkish massacres of Armenians,
the extermination of millions of Jews and Poles by the Nazis are
outstanding examples of the crime of genocide.”

President Ronald Reagan reaffirmed the Armenian Genocide in 1981. The
U.S. House of Representatives adopted legislation on the Armenian
Genocide in 1975, 1984 and 1996.

VIVACELL-MTS GENERAL MANAGER DELIVERS LECTURE AT YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

14:10 21/04/2015 >> SOCIETY

In the frames of the “Business with a Mission” project VivaCell-MTS
General Manager Ralph Yirikian has delivered a lecture at Yerevan
Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences, the press
service of VivaCell-MTS reports.

Ralph Yirikian touched upon topics related to the agenda of elaborating
a successful strategy for the development of the business and enhancing
the technical capacity of the mobile network. Ralph Yirikian also spoke
about the marketing strategy and the policy of corporate responsibility
adopted by the Company.

Sharing the example of VivaCell-MTS the General Manager emphasized the
role of young professionals in the success and growth of any company.

“Human resources are the biggest asset of any commercial organization.

Providing high quality services would be impossible without qualified
specialists. Since the first day of its operation VivaCell-MTS has
been recruiting young graduates giving them an opportunity to start
their career from scratch and acquire the necessary experience by
working in the telecommunications sphere, one of the most rapidly
developing spheres in the world economy,” Ralph Yirikian noted.

Source: Panorama.am

TURKEY’S CURRENT STEPS AND REACTIONS AT LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, TO SAY THE LEAST, ARE NOT ADEQUATE. ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR TO EU

14:41, 20 April, 2015

BRUSSELS, 20 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The issue of the Armenian Genocide
has become a “litmus test” of democratization for Turkey, recognition
and respect of human rights and Turkey’s Europeanization way. The
Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union,
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian stated this in an exclusive interview with
“Armenpress”, which runs as follows:

– Recently, the European Union adopted a resolution on the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As the Head of Mission of the
Republic of Armenia to the European Union, what is Your opinion about
the importance of the adoption of this resolution, taking into account
that a similar resolution was adopted in 1987?

– You are absolutely right. In 1987 the European Parliament adopted
a similar resolution. However, a number of factors make essential
the circumstance of adoption of the Resolution. I will mention only
a few of them.

It is a very long time in the international relations, especially in
the current stage, which is characterized by the rapid development
of the events and significant change of the realities and problems.

The former resolution was adopted in a different historical period
and even in other world’s conditions and cold war context. Enormous
changes have occurred, which are directly also related to the Armenian
Question, I note only one of them; the existence of the independent
Republic of Armenia.

During this time, the European Parliament and European Union have
undergone a considerable transformation, which currently represents
almost twice as much as member states than in 1987 and their role in
the system of the international relations has been enormously changed,

The 100th anniversary itself made more important the reaffirming
of the political message of the European Community on the Armenian
Question, which was addressed to Turkey. It was also an opportunity
to reassess and modernize the resolution of 1987, comply it with the
current events, developments, concepts and perceptions.

– Which is the difference of actual text of those two resolutions or
their political differences and emphases?

– The resolution of 1987 was among the first resolutions, which
recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide and it was a quite
serious document and an achievement. It was mostly a resolution on
the Armenian Question, the Armenian minority in Turkey and Turkish
state relations.

In those days, in all comments it is definitely evaluated, that
the new resolution is not satisfied merely by the identification of
historical truth or focus on the moral side and includes very clear
political messages addressed to Turkey. It is highly important that
despite the mentioned messages, the resolution is proposed jointly
by the political parties of European Parliament.

The European Parliament, which represents 28 member states and a
population of around 500 million, characterizes the actions perpetrated
against the Armenians in Ottoman Empire as a Genocide corresponding
to the provisions of the UN Convention, condemns the attempts of the
denial of crimes against the humanity, pays tribute to the memory of
one and a half million innocent victims, as well as by the European
spirit of solidarity and justice joins the commemoration of the
Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and urges the European Commission
and the European Council to follow its example.

It calls on Turkey to use the occasion of the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, face with its history, recognize the Armenian
Genocide and thereby pave the way for the real reconciliation of the
Armenian and Turkish people.

It is noteworthy that the growth of number of the state member of
EU and parliaments of other countries, which recognized the Armenian
Genocide, is fixed in the resolution. It is emphasized the importance
of preserving the memories of the past and highlighted, that it is not
possible to achieve reconciliation without the truth and remembrance.

The new document as you see, has a completely different character
and direction, reflects the current political realities and does not
repeat a number of points of the 1987 resolution.

– Mr. Ambassador, it was said that it would be better, if the protocols
weren’t mentioned. What would You say about this?

– It is no secret that the Turkish side, despite not ratifying
them, tried to use the fact of protocols’ existence to prevent the
adoption of resolutions, which recognize the Armenian Genocide. All
by means, it required additional efforts from our diplomats and our
community organizations for not allowing it. This document reflects
on the protocols, but clearly urges Turkey to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The adoption of this resolution showed that even mentioning
the protocols in the same resolution will not free Turkey from the
imperative of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. And this is
not just the perception of the Armenian side, but also the perception
of the European Parliament.

– Mr. Ambassador, how do You imagine the further steps of Turkey?

– Turkey’s current steps and reactions at the latest developments,
to say the least, are not adequate. Turkey should either be able to
resolve these issues by the way of bilateral civilized dialogue with
Armenia and Armenians, or it will continue to encounter with our and
international community’s ongoing and consistent pressure. There is
no third option.

The issue of the Armenian Genocide has become a “litmus test” of
democratization for Turkey, recognition and respect of human rights
and Turkey’s Europeanization way. And such profound and comprehensive
reforms are initiated by the given country’s government, or society,
and/or the international community. In this case, the Turkish
authorities, unfortunately, are not in the leading role.

The Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union,
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian stated this in an exclusive interview with
“Armenpress”, which runs as follows:

– Recently, the European Union adopted a resolution on the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As the Head of Mission of the
Republic of Armenia to the European Union, what is Your opinion about
the importance of the adoption of this resolution, taking into account
that a similar resolution was adopted in 1987?

– You are absolutely right. In 1987 the European Parliament adopted
a similar resolution. However, a number of factors make essential
the circumstance of adoption of the Resolution. I will mention only
a few of them.

It is a very long time in the international relations, especially in
the current stage, which is characterized by the rapid development
of the events and significant change of the realities and problems.

The former resolution was adopted in a different historical period
and even in other world’s conditions and cold war context. Enormous
changes have occurred, which are directly also related to the Armenian
Question, I note only one of them; the existence of the independent
Republic of Armenia.

During this time, the European Parliament and European Union have
undergone a considerable transformation, which currently represents
almost twice as much as member states than in 1987 and their role in
the system of the international relations has been enormously changed,

The 100th anniversary itself made more important the reaffirming
of the political message of the European Community on the Armenian
Question, which was addressed to Turkey. It was also an opportunity
to reassess and modernize the resolution of 1987, comply it with the
current events, developments, concepts and perceptions.

– Which is the difference of actual text of those two resolutions or
their political differences and emphases?

– The resolution of 1987 was among the first resolutions, which
recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide and it was a quite
serious document and an achievement. It was mostly a resolution on
the Armenian Question, the Armenian minority in Turkey and Turkish
state relations.

In those days, in all comments it is definitely evaluated, that
the new resolution is not satisfied merely by the identification of
historical truth or focus on the moral side and includes very clear
political messages addressed to Turkey. It is highly important that
despite the mentioned messages, the resolution is proposed jointly
by the political parties of European Parliament.

The European Parliament, which represents 28 member states and a
population of around 500 million, characterizes the actions perpetrated
against the Armenians in Ottoman Empire as a Genocide corresponding
to the provisions of the UN Convention, condemns the attempts of the
denial of crimes against the humanity, pays tribute to the memory of
one and a half million innocent victims, as well as by the European
spirit of solidarity and justice joins the commemoration of the
Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and urges the European Commission
and the European Council to follow its example.

It calls on Turkey to use the occasion of the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, face with its history, recognize the Armenian
Genocide and thereby pave the way for the real reconciliation of the
Armenian and Turkish people.

It is noteworthy that the growth of number of the state member of
EU and parliaments of other countries, which recognized the Armenian
Genocide, is fixed in the resolution. It is emphasized the importance
of preserving the memories of the past and highlighted, that it is not
possible to achieve reconciliation without the truth and remembrance.

The new document as you see, has a completely different character
and direction, reflects the current political realities and does not
repeat a number of points of the 1987 resolution.

– Mr. Ambassador, it was said that it would be better, if the protocols
weren’t mentioned. What would You say about this?

– It is no secret that the Turkish side, despite not ratifying
them, tried to use the fact of protocols’ existence to prevent the
adoption of resolutions, which recognize the Armenian Genocide. All
by means, it required additional efforts from our diplomats and our
community organizations for not allowing it. This document reflects
on the protocols, but clearly urges Turkey to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The adoption of this resolution showed that even mentioning
the protocols in the same resolution will not free Turkey from the
imperative of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. And this is
not just the perception of the Armenian side, but also the perception
of the European Parliament.

– Mr. Ambassador, how do You imagine the further steps of Turkey?

– Turkey’s current steps and reactions at the latest developments,
to say the least, are not adequate. Turkey should either be able to
resolve these issues by the way of bilateral civilized dialogue with
Armenia and Armenians, or it will continue to encounter with our and
international community’s ongoing and consistent pressure. There is
no third option.

Turkey’s current steps and reactions at latest developments, to say
the least, are not adequate. Armenia’s Ambassador to EU

BRUSELLS, 20 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The issue of the Armenian Genocide
has become a “litmus test” of democratization for Turkey, recognition
and respect of human rights and Turkey’s Europeanization way. The
Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union,
Ambassador Tatoul Markarian stated this in an exclusive interview with
“Armenpress”, which runs as follows:

– Recently, the European Union adopted a resolution on the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As the Head of Mission of the
Republic of Armenia to the European Union, what is Your opinion about
the importance of the adoption of this resolution, taking into account
that a similar resolution was adopted in 1987?

– You are absolutely right. In 1987 the European Parliament adopted
a similar resolution. However, a number of factors make essential
the circumstance of adoption of the Resolution. I will mention only
a few of them.

It is a very long time in the international relations, especially in
the current stage, which is characterized by the rapid development
of the events and significant change of the realities and problems.

The former resolution was adopted in a different historical period
and even in other world’s conditions and cold war context. Enormous
changes have occurred, which are directly also related to the Armenian
Question, I note only one of them; the existence of the independent
Republic of Armenia.

During this time, the European Parliament and European Union have
undergone a considerable transformation, which currently represents
almost twice as much as member states than in 1987 and their role in
the system of the international relations has been enormously changed,

The 100th anniversary itself made more important the reaffirming
of the political message of the European Community on the Armenian
Question, which was addressed to Turkey. It was also an opportunity
to reassess and modernize the resolution of 1987, comply it with the
current events, developments, concepts and perceptions.

– Which is the difference of actual text of those two resolutions or
their political differences and emphases?

– The resolution of 1987 was among the first resolutions, which
recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide and it was a quite
serious document and an achievement. It was mostly a resolution on
the Armenian Question, the Armenian minority in Turkey and Turkish
state relations.

In those days, in all comments it is definitely evaluated, that
the new resolution is not satisfied merely by the identification of
historical truth or focus on the moral side and includes very clear
political messages addressed to Turkey. It is highly important that
despite the mentioned messages, the resolution is proposed jointly
by the political parties of European Parliament.

The European Parliament, which represents 28 member states and a
population of around 500 million, characterizes the actions perpetrated
against the Armenians in Ottoman Empire as a Genocide corresponding
to the provisions of the UN Convention, condemns the attempts of the
denial of crimes against the humanity, pays tribute to the memory of
one and a half million innocent victims, as well as by the European
spirit of solidarity and justice joins the commemoration of the
Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and urges the European Commission
and the European Council to follow its example.

It calls on Turkey to use the occasion of the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide, face with its history, recognize the Armenian
Genocide and thereby pave the way for the real reconciliation of the
Armenian and Turkish people.

It is noteworthy that the growth of number of the state member of
EU and parliaments of other countries, which recognized the Armenian
Genocide, is fixed in the resolution. It is emphasized the importance
of preserving the memories of the past and highlighted, that it is not
possible to achieve reconciliation without the truth and remembrance.

The new document as you see, has a completely different character
and direction, reflects the current political realities and does not
repeat a number of points of the 1987 resolution.

– Mr. Ambassador, it was said that it would be better, if the protocols
weren’t mentioned. What would You say about this?

– It is no secret that the Turkish side, despite not ratifying
them, tried to use the fact of protocols’ existence to prevent the
adoption of resolutions, which recognize the Armenian Genocide. All
by means, it required additional efforts from our diplomats and our
community organizations for not allowing it. This document reflects
on the protocols, but clearly urges Turkey to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The adoption of this resolution showed that even mentioning
the protocols in the same resolution will not free Turkey from the
imperative of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. And this is
not just the perception of the Armenian side, but also the perception
of the European Parliament.

– Mr. Ambassador, how do You imagine the further steps of Turkey?

– Turkey’s current steps and reactions at the latest developments,
to say the least, are not adequate. Turkey should either be able to
resolve these issues by the way of bilateral civilized dialogue with
Armenia and Armenians, or it will continue to encounter with our and
international community’s ongoing and consistent pressure. There is
no third option.

The issue of the Armenian Genocide has become a “litmus test” of
democratization for Turkey, recognition and respect of human rights
and Turkey’s Europeanization way. And such profound and comprehensive
reforms are initiated by the given country’s government, or society,
and/or the international community. In this case, the Turkish
authorities, unfortunately, are not in the leading role.

And such profound and comprehensive reforms are initiated by the
given country’s government, or society, and/or the international
community. In this case, the Turkish authorities, unfortunately,
are not in the leading role.