In his statement concerning the adoption of the resolution on the Armenian Genocide centennial RA Foreign Affairs minister Edward Nalbandian has said that the European Parliament has proved once again its commitment to universal values.
According to the Minister, the resolution has become a message addressed to Turkey urging it to face its own history, recognize the Armenian Genocide. Thus, there will be a real chance for the normalization of the Armenia-Turkish relations.
"Armenia welcomes the European Parliament Resolution on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide.The European Parliament underlines that yet in its resolution of 1987 it recognized that what took place against the Armenians in 1915-1917 in the Ottoman Empire represents a genocide as defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and strongly deplores any attempts of its denial", states the message.
During the April 15 meeting European Parliament adopted a resolution on the Armenian Genocide centennial. The voting was held based on the discussions which had taken place on April 14-15. The resolution was adopted with the majority of votes. During the discussions on the draft resolution the European Parliament urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide. The document states that the Parliament honors the memory of 1.5 million victims of the Genocide, as well as calls upon the European Commission and Council of Europe to take its lead. The European Parliament also suggests designating an International Commemoration Day of the Genocide victims