COUNCIL OF EUROPE DEFAMES ARMENIA AND OFFENDS ARMENIANS

COUNCIL OF EUROPE DEFAMES ARMENIA AND OFFENDS ARMENIANS
>
>- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Strasburg-based organization is going to
>adopt two resolutions, one questioning Artsakh independence, the other
>excluding the Armenian genocide from the European remembrance.
>
>- The European Armenian Federation calls upon the European citizens and
>organizations to intervene with their representatives.
>
>
>The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is going to
>examine and vote on Tuesday two resolutions respectively proposed by Mr.
>David Atkinson (UK, Democrat Group) and Mr. Mats Einarsson (Sweden, United
>Left).
>
>The resolution prepared by Mr. Atkinson deals with "the conflict over the
>Nagorno-Karabakh region dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference". In this
>resolution, Mr. Atkinson alleges that "considerable parts of the territory
>of Azerbaijan are still occupied by Armenian forces" and that "separatist
>forces are still in control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region".
>
>Without explicitly pointing out one of the conflicting parties, the report
>then evokes "large-scale ethnic expulsion" and the creation of mono-ethnic
>areas "which resemble the terrible concept of ethnic cleansing".
>
>Recalling then a reduced set of past resolutions carefully chosen for their
>pro-azeri stances, the Atkinson report aims to impose - "if the negotiations
>under the auspices of the co-chairs of the Minsk group fail" - the
>settlement of the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the framework of
>the UN's International Court of Justice.
>
>"The Atkinson report is the report of Azerbaijan. This country believes that
>shifting the institutional framework will turn its crimes into virtues.
>Attempts of ethnic cleansing actually occurred but, contrary to Mr. Atkinson
>insinuations, it was the policy led by Baku." declared Laurent Leylekian,
>executive director of the European Armenian Federation.
>
>"Without the fight for self-determination led by the Karabakhiots, there
>would be no more Armenians on these historically Armenian territories, as it
>is the case in Nakhitchevan or in Turkey. By its exactions, Azerbaijan lost
>all its rights on the Karabakh and did legitimate the right for
>self-determination of the Karabakhiots, in full compliance with the
>International Law" Leylekian added.
>
>On the other hand, the Einarsson report supports the "establishment of a
>European remembrance center for victims of forced population movements and
>ethnic cleansing".
>
>In its draft recommendation, this report amply mentions the case of
>population transfers that followed the Second World War and the forced
>movements imposed by the Stalinian regime. It mentions also the genocide
>perpetrated by the Nazis against Jews and Roms as well as the genocide of
>Ukrainians. However, the draft recommendation deliberately omits to cite the
>first genocide of the XXth century, i.e. the Armenian genocide, though
>performed by, and on the territory of the member state of the Council of
>Europe, Turkey.
>
>"What credibility can we grant to an institution which gives such a biased
>lecture of History?" wondered Laurent Leylekian. "The Council of Europe,
>commanded by the negationist Turkey is making itself party to a second
>symbolic murder of the Armenians of Anatolia and Western Armenia. It's
>pathetic when coming from an institution which claims to be the guardian of
>Human Rights in Europe".
>
>The European Armenian Federation calls upon the European citizens and
>organizations to intervene with their representative in the Parliamentary
>Assembly of the Council of Europe (list available at
>http://assembly.coe.int/Main.asp?link=/composition/DelegationsList.htm ) to
>call them :
>
>- to support - for the Atkinson report - amendments recalling that the
>problem of the political status of Karabakh is still unresolved, calling
>upon Armenia and Azerbaijan to renounce to bellicose declarations and
>calling upon Azerbaijan to establish political contacts with the elected
>bodies of Karabakh.
>
>- To mention the case of the Armenian genocide in the framework of the
>Einarsson report.
>

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