If Turkey recognizes the Armenian Genocide, it will open doors for peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Euronest PA Co-President Heidi Hautala told ArmInfo.
Hautala said the European Parliament and the Euronest PA have done much to assist Armenia in achieving international recognition of the Genocide and making Turkey recognize that crime against humanity. If this finally happens and Turkey recognizes the Genocide of Armenians, it will open doors for peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, she said. Hautala is sure that one beautiful day Turkey will recognize the Genocide against Armenians.
Heidi thinks the Armenian Genocide Centennial commemorations in April 2015 will draw the world community's attention to that issue and, maybe, then Ankara will recognize its own history under international pressure.
As for the Karabakh conflict and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's statement at the Euronest PA Session saying that the principle of the people's right to self-determination has begun to dominate over other principles, Heidi Hautala said: "In Europe the principle of the people's right to self-determination has really began to dominate over others."
Euronest PA and EPP have lately recognized and condemned the Genocide of Armenians. The first country to recognize that crime against humanity was Uruguay. Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by 43 United States as well as by 23 countries, including Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Russia, Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus, Vatican, Sweden, Lithuania.. Swizterland, Slovakia and Greece have even passed laws criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide. France is preparing a similar bill. The Genocide of Armenians was recognized also by the CoE, European Parliament, the UN Subcommittee to prevent discrimination and protect minorities, the UN Committee for Military Crimes, the World Church Council, as well as New South Wales, San- Paolo, Seara and Parana (Brazil), Wales, Schotland and Northern Ireland, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Balearic Islands (Spain), Quebec, Kyev, Uzhgorod, Izyum. Goloseevskiy region (Ukraine), Crimea. Turkey still denies the genocide of 1,5 million Armenians in 1915-1923.