AUSTRIA RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

[Yervant1]

AUSTRIA RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

April 21, 2015 13:22
EXCLUSIVE

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The Austrian parliament today adopted a resolution
condemning the Armenian Genocide.

As Bedo Demirdjian, Communications and PR Officer at European
Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) told Mediamax's
correspondent, the joint statement adopted by 6 political parties
represented in the Austrian parliament notes that the mass killings
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago were "a genocide".

"The resolution also points out Austria's moral responsibility
for recognizing the Armenian Genocide as during the World War I,
Austria-Hungary and German Empire were the allies of the Ottoman
Turkey", said Bedo Demirdjian.

He added that the Austrian MPs will respect the memory of the Armenian
Genocide victims with a moment of silence tomorrow.

According to Bedo Demirdjian, on April 24, the Austrian official
delegation in Yerevan will be represented by Austria's Ambassador
to Armenia.

http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/foreignpolicy/13929#sthash.aqSQigPV.dpuf

[Yervant1]

AUSTRIAN LAWMAKERS CONDEMN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

14:27 * 21.04.15

The Austrian Parliament's lower chamber has adopted a declaration
condemning the Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire 100
years ago.

The measure received backing by all the six groups represented in
the National Council, diepresse.com reports

The website refers to Austria's historical responsibility for the
tragic events, noting that the Ottoman Empire was the Austria-Hungary's
ally during World War I.

The National Council, which is often described as the lower house of
Austria's legislature, is said to practically enjoy more power than
the Federal Council, the second chamber.

http://diepresse.com/home/politik/innenpolitik/4713249/Parlamentsklubs-verurteilen-Volkermord-an-Armeniern?from=suche.intern.portal

http://www.tert.am/en/news/2015/04/21/diepresse/1652899

[Yervant1]

AUSTRIA PARLIAMENT HONORS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS WITH MINUTE OF SILENCE

12:27, 22.04.2015
Region:World News, Armenia
Theme: Politics

The Austrian parliament started its work Wednesday with the minute
of silence to honor victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Six factions of the Austrian parliament adopted a joint statement and
recognized the Armenian Genocide. President of the National Council
of Austria Doris Bures said it was a call for reconciliation between
the Armenians and Turks. She used "genocide" term while speaking
about the 1915 events.

The statement notes that Austria is obligated to describe what had
occurred as genocide and to condemn it.

http://news.am/eng/news/263217.html

[Yervant1]

Here we go again!

TURKEY RECALLS AMBASSADOR AS AUSTRIA RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

23:18, 22 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Turkey recalled its Ambassador to Vienna after Austrian lawmakers
recognized the Armenian Genocide, Today's Zaman reports.

Earlier todaythe leaders of the country's six major parties issued
a statement declaring that Austria, as a former ally of the Ottoman
Empire, had a "duty to recognize and condemn these horrific events
as genocide."

They also called on Turkey to take responsibility for its role in
the mass murders.

"It is Turkey's duty to face the dark and painful chapter of its
past and recognize the crimes committed against Armenians under the
Ottoman empire as genocide," the statement said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry recalled Turkey's Ambassador to Vienna
Mehmet Hasan GöguÅ~_ to Ankara for consultations after the Austrian
Parliament's decision.

The recognition comes amidst possibility that Germany might recognize
the killings as genocide as well.

A parliamentary motion to label the 1915 mass killings of Ottoman
Armenians as "genocide," is to be debated by German lawmakers this
Friday.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/04/22/turkey-recalls-ambassador-as-austria-recognizes-armenian-genocide/

 

[Yervant1]

ANC OF EUROPE WELCOMES AUSTRIAN RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015
http://asbarez.com/134339/anc-of-europe-welcomes-austrian-recognition-of-armenian-genocide/

The Austrian Parliament observes a moment of silence before approving
a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. April 21, 2015.

(Photo: official publication)

BRUSSELS--The Austrian Parliament adopted a declaration Tuesday
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, acknowledging the responsibility of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire -- at the time an ally of Ottoman Empire -
and calling on Turkey to reconcile with the dark pages of its past.

The declaration was adopted unanimously by all political factions
in the Parliament. Before adopting it, the deputies held a moment
of silence in memory of the 1.5 million innocent victims of the
Armenian Genocide.

The declaration states that it is Austria's obligation to recognize
the terrible events as genocide and condemn them. It also states,
that it is the duty of Turkey "to honestly face its dark and painful
chapter of the past, and the crimes committed during the Ottoman
Empire against the Armenians to recognize as genocide."

The statement on the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide also pays
homage to Assyrians, Arameans, Chaldeans, and Greeks, all of whom were
victims of the attempted total annihilation of minorities perpetrated
by Turkey.

Garo Chadoian, chairman of the Austrian Armenian Committee for Justice
and Democracy (ANC Austria) thanked the Armenian community of Austria,
and the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia, for the persistent and
coordinated efforts over the past years, which resulted in this joint
declaration Tuesday, and praised the Austrian political parties for
their courageous and responsible stance on recognizing the Armenian
Genocide.

Kaspar Karampetian, President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD / ANC of Europe), said: "We congratulate
the Austrian - Armenian community for their tireless work, and welcome
this historic recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Austria. It is
historic in the sense that Austria, acknowledging its responsibility
for the past regarding the Austro-Hungarian Empire's alliance with
Ottoman Turkey, could serve as a noble example for Turkey to recognize
the Armenian Genocide and come to terms with its past."

"The Armenian Diaspora's activism, the Pope's message, the European
Parliament's resolutions on the Armenian Genocide have all contributed
to this declaration by the Austrian Parliament," Karampetian said. "We
very much hope that Germany as well, will shift its stance on the
Armenian Question and officially recognize the Armenian Genocide."

[Yervant1]

AUSTRIA STICKS TO DECISION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DESPITE TURKISH CRITICISM

17:59, 23 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz on Thursday rejected harsh
criticism from Turkey over a declaration by his country's parliament
that labelled the 1915 deportation and massacres of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire as "genocide," dpa reports.

The Turkish government on Wednesday night recalled its ambassador
from Austria following the parliamentary decision a day earlier.

"It should be known that Turkey and the Turkish nation will not forget
this slander uttered against their history," Turkey's Ministry of
Foreign Affairs said, adding that the decision "will leave permanent
stains on the Turkish-Austrian friendship."

Ankara also took offence that the declaration did not mention the
Muslims who lost their lives during the same period and slammed the
"outrageous behaviour" of legislators in Vienna saying they should
not give history lessons.

"The declaration of the Austrian Parliament is to be respected,"
said Kurz. "Now it is appropriate to look towards the future and work
towards reconciliation between Turks and Armenians."

The Austrian Parliament stopped short of adopting a formal resolution,
but six parliamentary parties joined in the declaration.

"Because of the historical responsibility - the Austrian-Hungarian
monarchy was allied to the Ottoman Empire - it is our duty to recognize
and condemn the horrible events as genocide," it said.

"Turkey must bring light into the dark of history in order
to reappraise this issue in a transparent manner," the Austrian
statement said.

Turkey has also recalled its ambassador to the Vatican after Pope
Francis last week said the Armenians were victims of "the first
genocide of the 20th century."

http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/04/23/austria-sticks-to-decision-on-armenian-genocide-despite-turkish-criticism/

[Yervant1]

ARMENIA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: STEP BY AUSTRIA PARLIAMENT WILL PROMOTE PREVENTION OF FUTURE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

17:03, 26.06.2015
Region:World News, Armenia
Theme: Politics

YEREVAN. - President of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia,
Galust Sahakyan, on Friday received Reinhold Lopatka, Chairman of
the Parliamentary Group of the People's Party of Austria.

Sahakyan expressed the hope that Lopatka's visit will contribute to the
development and strengthening of Armenian-Austrian friendly relations.

The head of the Armenian parliament highlighted the intensification
of Armenia-Austria relations in bilateral and multilateral formats.

The NA speaker also thanked the Austrian MP for the passing of the
resolution on recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

According to Sahakyan, this important step by the Parliament of
Austria will promote the prevention of future crimes against humanity.

Sahakyan informed that a platform of international cooperation--and
entitled "Parliaments against Genocide"--has been launched by the
Armenian NA, and in its formation, he highlighted the participation
of the representatives of the parliaments of all countries

Reinhold Lopatka, for his part, also considered the intensification
of interparliamentary ties as indispensable. He added that the setting
up of the aforementioned platform will create new edges of cooperation.

The development of bilateral relations between, and the domestic
political situation in, the two countries also were discussed at
the meeting.

http://news.am/eng/news/273973.html

[Yervant1]

AUSTRIA SHOULD HAVE CONDEMNED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LONG AGO: AUSTRIA'S AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON

15:54, 8 July, 2015

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Austria should have recognized and
condemned the Armenian Genocide long ago, being a state that witnessed
it during World War I. As Armenpress reports citing the official
website of the Central Board of Armenian National Committee, Austria's
Ambassador Ursula Fahringer expressed such a point during a meeting
with the delegation of the Armenian National Committee of Lebanon. The
representatives of the Armenian National Committee thanked the
ambassador for the Austrian parliament's stance on the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian side stressed that during World
War I the Austrian-Hungarian Empire was the ally of the Ottoman Empire
and for that reason Austria should recognize and condemn the Armenian
Genocide. It is planned to pay similar visits to the embassies of
Brazil and Luxemburg.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/811678/austria-should-have-condemned-armenian-genocide-long-ago-austria%E2%80%99s-ambassador-to-lebanon.html