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NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS STAND FOR RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ARMENIANS AND TURKS
Marlena Hovsepyan
"Radiolur"
09.04.2007 16:55
Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity has issued today the document
signed by 53 Nobel Prize laureates, in which scientists, writers and
public figures call for reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.
The Nobel Prize winners call on the Turkish government to end the
discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities and expel
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which envisages criminal
responsibility for "insulting Turkishness." They also urge the Armenian
and Turkish authorities to open the border.
The address suggests a legal approach for overcoming the divergence
in the perception of the Armenian Genocide by the peoples of the
two countries.
"There is a great divergence between Turks and Armenians in the
perceptions of the Armenian Genocide. To reflect this divergence, we
refer to the 'legal analysis of the applicability of the UN Convention
on prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide on the events
at the turn of the 20th century,' which confirms the conclusions of
scholars investigating the genocide," the document says.
It concludes that "abou those events we can say that these included
all elements of genocide as provided for in the Convention." It
concludes also that " the Genocide Convention includes no provision
for its retroactive force."
While the Nobel Prize winners are discussing the reality of the
Armenian Genocide from the perspective of international law, the
American Armenian community hopes that the two laws introduced in
the US Congress will be adopted or at least will be put on vote by
April 24. The active work in this direction continues.
"The resolution introduced in the House of Representatives has already
been signed by 185 Congressmen," Regional Director of the Armenian
Assembly of America Arpi Vardanyan told "Radiolur." She said another 30
votes are necessary to have half of the House Members support the bill.
The American Armenian community also hopes that in his annual address
on April 24 President Bush will use the word "genocide." The state,
propagating human rights and democracy, cannot deny the historic
realities.
Marlena Hovsepyan
"Radiolur"
09.04.2007 16:55
Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity has issued today the document
signed by 53 Nobel Prize laureates, in which scientists, writers and
public figures call for reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.
The Nobel Prize winners call on the Turkish government to end the
discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities and expel
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which envisages criminal
responsibility for "insulting Turkishness." They also urge the Armenian
and Turkish authorities to open the border.
The address suggests a legal approach for overcoming the divergence
in the perception of the Armenian Genocide by the peoples of the
two countries.
"There is a great divergence between Turks and Armenians in the
perceptions of the Armenian Genocide. To reflect this divergence, we
refer to the 'legal analysis of the applicability of the UN Convention
on prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide on the events
at the turn of the 20th century,' which confirms the conclusions of
scholars investigating the genocide," the document says.
It concludes that "abou those events we can say that these included
all elements of genocide as provided for in the Convention." It
concludes also that " the Genocide Convention includes no provision
for its retroactive force."
While the Nobel Prize winners are discussing the reality of the
Armenian Genocide from the perspective of international law, the
American Armenian community hopes that the two laws introduced in
the US Congress will be adopted or at least will be put on vote by
April 24. The active work in this direction continues.
"The resolution introduced in the House of Representatives has already
been signed by 185 Congressmen," Regional Director of the Armenian
Assembly of America Arpi Vardanyan told "Radiolur." She said another 30
votes are necessary to have half of the House Members support the bill.
The American Armenian community also hopes that in his annual address
on April 24 President Bush will use the word "genocide." The state,
propagating human rights and democracy, cannot deny the historic
realities.