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HIGH TIME FOR TURKEY TO RECOGNISE HISTORICAL FACTS, SAYS ANASTASIADES
APRIL 24TH, 2015 FEATURED2 COMMENTS
President Anastasiades and House Speaker Omirou with the presidents
of Armenia, Russia, France and Serbia
RELATED POST...
By Staff Reporter
REMEMBERING the mass killings by the Ottomans was the duty of the
entire humankind, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday, as he
called on Turkey to accept it had committed genocide.
"The recognition of such events under no circumstances reflects
the positive role that nations play or can play in the future in
international affairs," Anastasiades said in a speech at a ceremony
in Yerevan, Armenia, marking the centennial commemoration of the
massacres. "It is indeed high time to recognise historical facts
as this would pave the way for the normalisation of relations with
neighbouring countries, and would undoubtedly contribute to world
peace."
Anastasiades welcomed Armenian President Serz Sargsyan's moderate
stance.
Sargsyan said on Wednesday he was ready to normalise relations with
Turkey, two months after he withdrew peace accords from parliament,
blaming a Turkish lack of political will to end 100 years of hostility.
Speaking ahead of Friday's centenary of the mass killing, which is at
the heart of the countries' animosity, Sargsyan said there should be
no preconditions in restarting the peace process and would not insist
the Turks accept they committed genocide.
Cyprus was the first European country in 1975 to have recognised the
Armenian genocide.
"The presence of each one of us here today aims at keeping alive the
remembrance of this despicable act, by paying tribute to the millions
of lives lost a century ago, and constitutes our collective obligation
to make known "urbi et orbi" that impunity cannot go unpunished,"
Anastasiades said.
The two countries were both victims of impunity, he said, and it
was no surprise that they put our faith on international law, peace,
the respect of the sovereign right of peoples to decide their future
and the respect of human rights.
"Our united presence is also a call for an act of consciousness. It
is our duty to not turn our back or act in defiance of the tragic
reality and a historical fact," he said.
The president was accompanied by House Speaker Yiannakis Omirou,
as well as MPs Marios Garoyian (DIKO) and Giorgos Varnava (EDEK),
MEP Eleni Theocharous and the Armenian representative in the House,
Vartkes Mahdessian.
Anastasiades also took advantage of the opportunity and discussed the
Cyprus issue and the commencement of negotiations during the meetings
he had with the presidents of France, Russia, Armenia and Serbia,
said government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.
The meetings with Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin were especially
important concerning the Cyprus problem and the bilateral relations,
the spokesman said.
With Hollande, Anastasiades also discussed issues concerning Europe,
Cyprus' economic programme and the two countries' relations,
Christodoulides said.
During the meeting with Putin, the Cyprus problem, the Ukrainian
crisis, the economy and Cyprus-Russia relations were discussed,
he said.
Meanwhile, in Nicosia, a march was held from the centre of town to
Armenia street last night, where hundreds gathered at the genocide
memorial, including representatives of local political parties who
laid wreaths.
Today, the community will be hosting its annual blood donation in the
main hall of the Nareg school in Nicosia, from 4 to 7pm. The event
is open to all blood donors.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/04/24/high-time-for-turkey-to-recognise-historical-facts-says-anastasiades/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
APRIL 24TH, 2015 FEATURED2 COMMENTS
President Anastasiades and House Speaker Omirou with the presidents
of Armenia, Russia, France and Serbia
RELATED POST...
By Staff Reporter
REMEMBERING the mass killings by the Ottomans was the duty of the
entire humankind, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday, as he
called on Turkey to accept it had committed genocide.
"The recognition of such events under no circumstances reflects
the positive role that nations play or can play in the future in
international affairs," Anastasiades said in a speech at a ceremony
in Yerevan, Armenia, marking the centennial commemoration of the
massacres. "It is indeed high time to recognise historical facts
as this would pave the way for the normalisation of relations with
neighbouring countries, and would undoubtedly contribute to world
peace."
Anastasiades welcomed Armenian President Serz Sargsyan's moderate
stance.
Sargsyan said on Wednesday he was ready to normalise relations with
Turkey, two months after he withdrew peace accords from parliament,
blaming a Turkish lack of political will to end 100 years of hostility.
Speaking ahead of Friday's centenary of the mass killing, which is at
the heart of the countries' animosity, Sargsyan said there should be
no preconditions in restarting the peace process and would not insist
the Turks accept they committed genocide.
Cyprus was the first European country in 1975 to have recognised the
Armenian genocide.
"The presence of each one of us here today aims at keeping alive the
remembrance of this despicable act, by paying tribute to the millions
of lives lost a century ago, and constitutes our collective obligation
to make known "urbi et orbi" that impunity cannot go unpunished,"
Anastasiades said.
The two countries were both victims of impunity, he said, and it
was no surprise that they put our faith on international law, peace,
the respect of the sovereign right of peoples to decide their future
and the respect of human rights.
"Our united presence is also a call for an act of consciousness. It
is our duty to not turn our back or act in defiance of the tragic
reality and a historical fact," he said.
The president was accompanied by House Speaker Yiannakis Omirou,
as well as MPs Marios Garoyian (DIKO) and Giorgos Varnava (EDEK),
MEP Eleni Theocharous and the Armenian representative in the House,
Vartkes Mahdessian.
Anastasiades also took advantage of the opportunity and discussed the
Cyprus issue and the commencement of negotiations during the meetings
he had with the presidents of France, Russia, Armenia and Serbia,
said government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.
The meetings with Francois Hollande and Vladimir Putin were especially
important concerning the Cyprus problem and the bilateral relations,
the spokesman said.
With Hollande, Anastasiades also discussed issues concerning Europe,
Cyprus' economic programme and the two countries' relations,
Christodoulides said.
During the meeting with Putin, the Cyprus problem, the Ukrainian
crisis, the economy and Cyprus-Russia relations were discussed,
he said.
Meanwhile, in Nicosia, a march was held from the centre of town to
Armenia street last night, where hundreds gathered at the genocide
memorial, including representatives of local political parties who
laid wreaths.
Today, the community will be hosting its annual blood donation in the
main hall of the Nareg school in Nicosia, from 4 to 7pm. The event
is open to all blood donors.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/04/24/high-time-for-turkey-to-recognise-historical-facts-says-anastasiades/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress