GENEVA CANTON'S GOV'T OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCID

[Garo]

On December 10, the Government of the Geneva Republic and Canton issued a statement officially recognizing the 1915 Armenian Genocide. According to the RA MFA Public Relations Department, all members of the government signed the statement, which, in particular, says: "Geneva wants lasting peace to be established between the Armenian and Turkish peoples, which cannot be based on the concealment of facts of history, something that largely damages the development of relationships between the Armenians and Turks. This statement regarding the recognition of the Armenian genocide is by no means directed against Turkey, and, following the example of Germany, it, too, could admit its past crimes to build up peaceful relations based on the historical truth. By recognizing the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Geneva joins the long row of parliaments of numerous countries, the United Nations and the Council of Europe that have already recognized this crime, respecting the international provisions regarding Genocide." In this connection, the same day, representatives of the diplomatic corps and local Armenian community were invited to the Government. In the UN office in Geneva, after the adoption of the Declaration, Armenia's resident representative K. Nazarian made a speech in which, on behalf of the Armenian people, he appreciated the adoption of the declaration by the Geneva Republic and Canton, calling it a victory of democratic values over impunity and negativism. He called it an important step on the way towards international affirmation of the genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey that claimed the lives of a million and a half innocent victims. This step made by the Government of Geneva is the result of long-standing activities of the Armenian community in the political, social-economic and cultural life of Switzerland. As the center of international political developments, Geneva has once again proved its will and commitment to human rights protection. As early as 1998, on July 25, Geneva's Parliament adopted Resolution 357 affirming the Armenian Genocide and condemning the genocide committed at the beginning of the century. It urged Switzerland to diplay will and guided by the Convention on Genocide Prevention adopted on December 9, 1948, express a definite position towards the crime committed against the Armenian people.