European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the Armenian Genocide Centennial

15 April, 2015

On April 15, during its session the European Parliament adopted a Resolution, negotiated and agreed upon by all the political groups, dedicated to the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

The European Parliament, which represents 28 states and 500 million population, recognised that the tragic events that took place against the Armenians in the territory of the Ottoman Empire represent a genocide as defined in the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, condemned all occurrences of crimes against humanity and genocide, and strongly deplored any attempts at their denial, paid tribute to the memory of 1.5 million innocent victims, as well as joined the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide in a spirit of European solidarity and justice, called on the Commission and the Council to join in the commemoration and calls upon the European Commission and European Council to follow its example.

It calls on Turkey to use the commemoration of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide to come to terms with its past, to recognise the Armenian Genocide and thus pave the way for a genuine reconciliation between Turkish and Armenian peoples.

It is noteworthy that the resolution indicates the increase in the number of parliaments of EU member-states and other states that recognized the Armenian Genocide. Importance of keeping alive the memories of the past is stressed, since there can be no reconciliation without truth and remembrance.

This Resolution, having been an European initiative, met tremendous resistance of the Turkish lobbying, the purpose of which was to distort the political message of the Resolution and include denial elements in it.

The adoption of the Resolution became possible given the principled position of MEPs of the European Parliament, the coordinated work of the Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union, Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia, Armenian National Committee of Europe and “European Friends of Armenia” organization. Brussels office of the Armenian General Benevolent Union contributed to the tabling of the Resolution by the member of French Parliament Jean-Marie Cavada.

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