Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Swiss Parliament Recognizes Armenian Genocide Implicitly
by Association Switzerland - Armenia, March 16, 2001
Posted: Thursday, March 22, 2001 07:39 am CST

PRESS RELEASE
Association Switzerland - Armenia
P.O. Box 497
3000 Bern 14
Switzerland
Contact: Angeline Fankhauser or Rupen Boyadjian Web: https://www.armenian.ch/gsa
E-Mail: asa@armenian.ch

March 16, 2001

BERN

Government proposes to assist Turkey in its task to review history

What actually transpired in Swiss Parliament on March 13? Quite a lot. In a 73:70 vote, the Zisyadis postulate was overturned. This appeal to the government, a parliamentary instrument addressed by one chamber only, is non-binding. Ultimately the postulate, introduced by Joseph Zisyadis, strives for general public recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Secondly, the recommendation of the Foreign Policy Commission of the Big Chamber (National Council) was adopted and thus a petition submitted by a Turkish group from Frankfurt requesting recognition of the Armenian Genocide was received without vote or debate. The same request passed the Small Chamber on December 14, 2000. The Parliament in so doing passes the petition on to the Federal Council (government) "with the plea to mention the Armenian Genocide in the context of a Swiss-Turkish political dialogue".

Using this terminology the Parliament implicitly acknowledges the Genocide. In addition Foreign Minister Deiss said, in his remarks to the councelors explaining the government's rejection of the Zisyadis postulate, that he already informed Turkey's Foreign Minister Cem of `the Federal Council's position on the matter of the Armenian Genocide' at the occasion of Cem's visit at end of January:

"I told him that such a delicate chapter in Turkish history can no longer remain a taboo topic. Indeed it is imprtant for every nation to further its collective consciousness, with respect to the darker events in one's own history, even if this involves difficult work, as we ourselves recently experienced in Switzerland."

The Foreign Ministry has extended an offer of support to Turkey in this work, based on our own experiences. Turkey has not responded, but this topic will remain on the agenda of political dialogue that we have begun with Turkey."

Deiss gave details about an in depth discussion with Turkey over human rights and the rights of the Kurds that is in progress. "Turkey's fear of allowing independence movements to go unchecked remains very acute. I tell you this not to support the turkish position - Turkey alone is accountable for this - but to show you that the dialogue is open.'

In Turkey various trends are becoming manifest, which favor a serious and critical examination of history. According to our embassy in Ankara, we are witnessing for the first time a debate on the dark history of this region in various political and social circles in Turkey. The Federal Council does not want to jeopardize the eventual setting in place of an international commission of historians at a moment when this topic is becoming less and less taboo."

After noting the danger of accepting such a postulate with respect to ties in various sectors, pointing to the fight against impunity as an important element in Swiss human rights policy, he mentioned the Roman court that is currently being established and that the National Council the same morning had just voted in favour of signing the Court's statutes.

Foreign Minister Deiss closed his remarks with the words: "Crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide must be fought with the means of international law, such as the genocide convention or the permanent international court. These instruments, it is true, are directed at the future, but I think that the best way to say no to events which we condemn in the past, is to make sure that they can't happen again."

Foreign minister Deiss' speech was preceeded by eight interventions of parliament members. All of them were in favor of the recogniton of the Armenian Genocide. You can access the provisionary protocol (in native languages, most speeches were given in French, one German, one Italian):

https://www.parliament.ch/ab/frameset/d/n/4606/26935/d_n_4606_26935_27034.htm

An english summary of the debate will be distributed via Groong soon and will be available on the web-site of Association Switzerland - Armenia: https://www.armenian.ch/gsa

There, you will already find links to many articles that appeared in the Swiss press the day after. They employ clear terminology, regretting that an active sign in favour of Human rights policy has not been given for mostly economical fears.

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