030421 - Brussels, Belgium - On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

CALL OF THE EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE 90TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Brussels, Belgium - On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide,the European Armenian Federation calls upon the European civilsociety,representatives of associative organizations, survivors of the Armenian Genocide, children and grandchildren of Armenian Genocide survivors, representatives of associations for the
Defence of victims
of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity, Representatives of associations for
the Defence of
Human Rights, representatives of associations and organisations signatories
of the Charter of
European Armenians, and actors of European political life, in signing a
declaration urging the
democratic and executive institutions of the European Union to commemorate
appropriately the
90th anniversary of the first Genocide of the 20th century, and to reflect
clearly the will of
national Parliaments and the European Parliament in that Turkey should
recognize the Armenian
Genocide in all official documents regarding future negotiations with the
Republic of Turkey.

The European Armenian Federation considers that this anniversary, falling on
the actual
year set for the opening of negotiations with Turkey, must mark a turning
point in the
priority given to the Genocide issue by the European Executive in its
relations with Turkey.

The European Commission, in the framework of defining its perspective on
regional policy,
made reference to the Armenian Genocide in its last report on Turkey. The
Commission,
however, failed to use the proper term of genocide, and, inappropriately,
reduced
this international issue to a simple bilateral one between Turkey and
Armenia.

"Accepting a denialist country in its midst, is first of all, a serious
problem for the future of Europe.
The European Executive cannot ignore anymore the continued calls of national
Parliaments and
the European Parliament, whose resolution of December 15th, 2004 asked the
European Commission and
Council to demand that Turkey recognize the Genocide," said Hilda Tchoboian,
Chairperson of
the European Armenian Federation.

The Federation recalls that many European countries were witnesses to the
annihilation of
the Armenians, which occurred on the borders of Europe, while others
actually were complicit
in its implementation. Others promised to work for justice and to institute
legal proceedings
against the responsible state and its guilty leaders. In the end, however,
these promises were
never fulfilled due to political compromises by the Allies, which led to a
general amnesia
regarding this tragedy throughout Europe.

"The Europe of today - made up of these states - cannot escape its
responsibility for addressing
this crime. The duty of memory is essential for all Europeans and European
democratic
institutions," noted Tchoboian.

The declaration of the European Armenian Federation is open to all
democratic and constituent
organizations that comprise European civil society.

The text is available on www.eafjd.org and hereunder.

If you cannot sign this call online, candly print it out, sign it and send
it to us at
EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 BRUXELLES
BELGIUM

Fax: +322 732 70 27
email: contact@eafjd.org

V.V