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Armenia raises genocide issue at Council of Europe assembly
[Presenter] The Armenian delegation today made a statement at the session of
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe [PACE] in Strasbourg
condemning the Armenian genocide which was supported by 60 members of the
European assembly. It is the first time that Armenia has participated in
PACE
with full voting rights after our admission to the Council of Europe. Four
delegates represent our country in the Council of Europe.
[Reporter] The Armenian delegation for the first time participated in the
spring session of PACE with full voting rights. The first session of PACE
after Armenia's admission to the Council of Europe coincided with Armenian
genocide commemoration day. The Armenian delegation availed itself of this
opportunity, today 24 April, to make a written statement at the session
calling for the recognition of the Armenian genocide. Instead of the
required
20 signatures from five countries, it became possible to gather more than 60
members' signatures during one day. Our neighbours, the Georgian delegation,
did not wish to sign the text of the statement condemning the Armenian
genocide.
The European Parliament is the only international organization that
officially recognized the Armenian genocide in 1987 and passed a resolution
on the European Commission's report urging Turkey to recognize the genocide
and start a dialogue with Armenia and establish normal bilateral, diplomatic
and trade relations. Draft resolutions condemning the Armenian genocide are
still on the agendas of several European parliaments. This year the French
Senate recognized the Armenian genocide by passing the relevant resolution.
Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News Archives