MEP CALLS FOR VIGILANCE TO RECOGNISE GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS
April 24, 2014
MEP Eleni Theocharous has called for vigilance in efforts by world
nations and by Turkey itself to recognise the genocide of Armenians
nearly a century ago, adding that statements of condolences by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are nothing less than a farce.
Theocharous, a former surgeon with the Doctors of the World who has
travelled to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict zone on several occasions,
and chairs the Armenian friendship group in the European Parliament,
was the keynote speaker at the genocide memorial event in Nicosia on
Wednesday night, attended by leaders of most local political parties,
as well as minorities commissioner Kate Clerides.
Theocharous said that the world should never forget what happened to
the Armenians on their historical land.
She added that even as Turkey appears to be helping Armenian refugees
fleeing the civil war in Syria, Ankara continues to support rebel
forces, including extremist Islamist factions that are destroying
all evidence of Christian towns, monuments and churches in Syria.
Cyprus Armenian Representative Vartkes Mahdessian also gave an address,
while the community's spiritual leader, Archbishop Varouzhan Hergelian,
led a prayer service.
In a written statement on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the
massacres by Ottoman Turkey, government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides
said that "this crime is a stigma in the history of humankind" and
that the Republic of Cyprus was one of the first nations to recognise
the genocide.
He added that President Nicos Anastasiades and the government expressed
their solidarity with the Armenian people and continue to support
efforts for the worldwide recognition of the crime.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/04/24/mep-calls-for-vigilance-to-recognise-genocide-of-armenians/
April 24, 2014
MEP Eleni Theocharous has called for vigilance in efforts by world
nations and by Turkey itself to recognise the genocide of Armenians
nearly a century ago, adding that statements of condolences by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are nothing less than a farce.
Theocharous, a former surgeon with the Doctors of the World who has
travelled to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict zone on several occasions,
and chairs the Armenian friendship group in the European Parliament,
was the keynote speaker at the genocide memorial event in Nicosia on
Wednesday night, attended by leaders of most local political parties,
as well as minorities commissioner Kate Clerides.
Theocharous said that the world should never forget what happened to
the Armenians on their historical land.
She added that even as Turkey appears to be helping Armenian refugees
fleeing the civil war in Syria, Ankara continues to support rebel
forces, including extremist Islamist factions that are destroying
all evidence of Christian towns, monuments and churches in Syria.
Cyprus Armenian Representative Vartkes Mahdessian also gave an address,
while the community's spiritual leader, Archbishop Varouzhan Hergelian,
led a prayer service.
In a written statement on the occasion of the 99th anniversary of the
massacres by Ottoman Turkey, government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides
said that "this crime is a stigma in the history of humankind" and
that the Republic of Cyprus was one of the first nations to recognise
the genocide.
He added that President Nicos Anastasiades and the government expressed
their solidarity with the Armenian people and continue to support
efforts for the worldwide recognition of the crime.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/04/24/mep-calls-for-vigilance-to-recognise-genocide-of-armenians/
