IS IT POSSIBLE TO THINK AS EUROPE DOES?
Support A1+!“If the Genocide was untrue, then why are we here?”
On 18 July 1987 Armenians gathered in front of the Council of Europe building with “If the Genocide was untrue, then why are we here?” posters and the Armenian flag, when the European Parliament was discussing the Resolution on recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide.
“How can we trust the European Parliament, if we are afraid to admit the reality? We will not discuss the historical truth. We should have courage to say “yes” the Genocide took place, we should reinstate the justice”, said the deputies then.
More than two hundred delegations from a number of European countries are participating in the conference devoted to the 20-th anniversary of the recognition of Armenian Genocide by the European Parliament. vThose members of the European Parliament who contributed to the adoption of the Resolution will also participate in the conference. Among them are Henry Sabby, Ernest Glin, Kiriakos Kondopulos, Kostas Velentzas and others.
The CoE former deputy Henry Sabby says that they raised the issue to protect human dignity and justice. “I have never been afraid of saying the truth. Turkish may not destroy archives; other countries also have archives which prove the historical crime. This is a fight for justice and it is should be continued”.
“Europe should not expand by damaging its values”
Hilda Tchoboian, president of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy stated that Europe “should make adjustments in its home and dictate its rules of the game, and establish peace. No conciliation is possible without admitting the misdemeanor. Only in this case it is possible to guarantee safety, peace and stability”.
The speech of Aram I Catholicos of Cilicia was an appeal to the whole Europe. The Catholicos was amazed that the recognition of the Armenia Genocide, which was supposed to be the primary precondition for Turkish access to the EU, is left behind.
“How can Europe, which is the cradle of democratic and universal values, tolerate a country, which has quite different values, which not only denies the democracy, human rights, but also persecutes, imprisons and murders those, who speak about those values? Europe should not expand by damaging its values”. The hall responded to the Catholicos’ speech with storm of applause.
“Turkey should admit its past”
The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan Oskanyan is confirmed that if Turkey wants to be the part of Europe, then it should think just the way Europe does, act as Europe does, admit, recognize and go forward, just as Europe does. Turkey may have a particular role in the region by becoming a bridge between Europe and Asia.
“Why? What is Turkey afraid of?,- asked Oskanyan,- Turkey has destroyed the part of its history and considers the recognition of the Genocide humiliating for its nation. But Turkey is not alone in this world. Many other countries have accepted their misdeeds and agreed with it. One should not be afraid of looking into the mirror”.
Rusan Amirjanyan
Brussels
