British Says No Genocide

[Armat]

British Ambassador to Armenia

Says It Was Not a Genocide

 

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

 

During a press conference marking the first anniversary of her diplomatic

posting in Armenia on January 20, the British Ambassador to Armenia made a

false and offensive statement on the Armenian Genocide.

Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt was reported by Azg newspaper as saying:

"Great Britain accepts that the events of 1915 were mass killings (of the

Armenian population), the responsible for which are the Turks. I see no

problem calling it brutality. It shouldn't have taken place even in the

course of war. But, I do not think that recognizing the events as genocide

would be of much use."

Before writing this column, I sent an e-mail to the British Ambassador to

confirm that she was accurately quoted. She responded by saying: "On the

events of 1915, I said words to the effect quoted, but the translation has

come out slightly clumsily. What I said was that I understood the strength

of feeling in Armenia about what happened and that I knew that this was an

issue which still touched people very deeply nearly ninety years on. The

British Government had condemned the massacres as an atrocity at the time,

and still did. But the evidence was not sufficiently unequivocal that what

took place could be categorized as genocide under the 1948 United Nations

Convention on Genocide and that while the debate continued among historians

and lawyers, we believed that there was a role for us in encouraging

countries in the region to look to the future and to work actively for

better relations and a lessening of tensions."

In my response to her, I pointed out that I had no quarrel with her

personally, since as Ambassador, she was merely expressing the position of

her government. Nevertheless, I inquired if she could explain why the

British government would take the highly offensive and incorrect position

that the Armenian Genocide did not fit the UN definition of genocide. I

told her that I was quite familiar with the UN definition, as I had spent

10 years lobbying at the UN for the acceptance of the Armenian Genocide. In

1985, the UN Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and

Protection of Minorities finally recognized the Armenian Genocide as a

genocide, and included it as such in its report on the Prevention and

Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. I found it absurd that the British

government would question the compatibility of

the Armenian Genocide with the UN definition, since the UN itself had taken

the position that the Armenian Genocide perfectly fit its definition of

genocide!

It is quite upsetting that any Ambassador sitting in Yerevan would have the

audacity to dispute that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was

Genocide! It is even more upsetting that in the past six weeks, not a

single Armenian government official, nor the representative of any

political organization, indeed not a single Armenian has bothered to

respond to the Ambassador's insulting words on the Armenian Genocide!

By now, there should have been dozens of statements issued by various

Armenian entities, both in Armenia and the Diaspora, condemning both the

British Ambassador and her government. There should have been daily

demonstrations in front of the British Embassy in Yerevan. The Armenian

Foreign Ministry should have delivered a diplomatic note of protest to the

Ambassador and put her on notice that the Armenian government would not

tolerate such offensive statements.

In a recent interview she gave to a journalist in Armenia, Amb. Abott-Watt

said, "I like a good khorovads [kebab]…. By the time I leave Armenia, I

hope I'll be able to make good khorovads." If the Armenians would react

strongly to her deeply injurious statement on the Genocide, before she

returns to London, she may also learn that distorting the facts of the

Armenian Genocide is highly offensive to Armenians and a sin against all

victims of crimes against humanity.

By their silence, Armenians are simply encouraging the British and others

to continue questioning the facts of the Armenian Genocide. Imagine what

would have happened if some Ambassador would have been foolish enough to

give a press conference in the middle of Tel Aviv, saying that the

Holocaust was simply "an atrocity" or "a brutality" and did not fit the UN

definition of genocide! That Ambassador would have been kicked out of

Israel within 24 hours.

Armenians not only should raise their voices in protest against the British

Ambassador, more importantly, they should urge Armenian government

officials and political organizations not to remain silent in the face of

such denials!

[Armat]

While I can understand the Turks common rhetoric on this matter, it is highly plausible and ignorant for an ambassador saying AG does not fit the UN definition of Genocide. Where the hell she has been all this time! I formally will boycott anything British made including their beers. Screw them!

[koko]

Count me in on the boycott!

[ED]

It is quite upsetting that any Ambassador sitting in Yerevan would have the

audacity to dispute that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was

Genocide! It is even more upsetting that in the past six weeks, not a

single Armenian government official, nor the representative of any

political organization, indeed not a single Armenian has bothered to

respond to the Ambassador's insulting words on the Armenian Genocide!

I have to agree with Harut Sasunian here, yes quiet disturbing and I feel so much more outraged for this fact. I will do my part and send a letter to British embassy in Yerevan in protest as well as foreign Ministry of Armenia; they should have taken a leading role in protest, very upsetting!

[nairi]

The sad thing is that we need Britain much more than they need us. Is ignoring what the ambassador did called diplomatic caution?

 

No reason to boycott. It's not Cadbury that's denying the Armenian genocide; it's the English government.

[Armat]

I just sent this letter to central British Council but anyone knows the Armenian one specially her direct link I would highly appreciate

 

 

 

Dear Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt

As an Armenian I found your recent statements on the Armenian Genocide highly offensive due to the fact that not only it was the first genocide in twentieth century but also it was the catalyst for UN definition of Genocide since Armenian Genocide had all the criteria of Genocide defined by UN.

I hope your government acknowledges this historical fact as what it was a Genocide and stop portraying in any lesser offensive terms due to political motivations.

As an Artist and a human being historically significant facts such as genocides must be recognized respectfully and honestly since not doing so we become collectively less moral and civilized society furthermore by making excuses and escape goats for the perpetrators we directly send the wrong massage that Genocides can be done and get away with or worse it can become political football game without slight respect for the sufferers of the crimes.

I hope my massage may change your outlook since according to Christian ethos we are all sinners but realizing them and changing them is the first step towards the truth and moral behavior.

For you convenience I am quoting from UN definition of Genocide.

Convention on the

Prevention and Punishment

of the Crime of Genocide

 

Adopted by Resolution 260 (III) A of the United Nations General Assembly on 9 December 1948.

Article 1

The Contracting Parties confirm that genocide, whether committed in time of peace or in time of war, is a crime under international law which they undertake to prevent and to punish.

Article 2

In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

· (a) Killing members of the group;

· (B Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

· © Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

· (d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

· (e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, describes genocide as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group." Clearly this definition applies in the case of the atrocities committed against the Armenians. Because the U.N. Convention was adopted in 1948, thirty years after the Armenian Genocide, Armenians worldwide have sought from their respective governments formal acknowledgment of the crimes committed during W.W.I. Countries like France, Argentina, Greece, and Russia, where the survivors of the Armenian Genocide and their descendants live, have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. However, as a matter of policy, the present-day Republic of Turkey adamantly denies that a genocide was committed against the Armenians during W.W.I. Moreover, Turkey dismisses the evidence about the atrocities as mere allegations and regularly obstructs efforts for acknowledgment. Affirming the truth about the Armenian Genocide, therefore, has become an issue of international significance. The recurrence of genocide in the twentieth century has made the reaffirmation of the historic acknowledgment of the criminal mistreatment of the Armenians by Turkey all the more a compelling obligation for the international community.

 

Sincerely,

Armat Sahakian

3/7/04

Edited March 8, 2004 by Armat

[Sebastia]

The sad thing is that we need Britain much more than they need us.

I there anybody that needs us???

 

Besides, Britain has always supported the Turks so this is not a big surprise to me. I belive it is Britain who strongly persists the Turkish entry into E.U. Am I right?

Edited March 8, 2004 by Sebastia

[gamavor]

Yes, you are right! That is because neither Britan nor Turkey belong to Europe!

[Sip]

I guess she puts the ass in Ambassador.

[Vigil]

They are just balancing their public relations. This is no suprise coming right after Wales accepts the incidents in 1915 as a Genocide. Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil

[Stormig]

What I am wondering about is why there is an outroar when an Israeli ambassador says the same thing. What I am also curious about is, what is the context of such statements? Are they actually asked for these opinions, how the hell do they come about?

[Stormig]

Armat, I think that what would really prove effective would be to mention what Lemkin said about the Armenian genocide as opposed to just providing a definition that just about everyone knows but won't accept it to be the case for Armenians for a number of reasons, intentionally nasty or not.

[Arpa]

What I am wondering about is why there is an outroar when an Israeli ambassador says the same thing. What I am also curious about is, what is the context of such statements? Are they actually asked for these opinions, how the hell do they come about?

Somehow I remember something similar was said sometime ago.

Who said it?

Ah!

You don't want to hear it then don't ask.

Or are we here to "teach the world how to sing"?

And if and when they sing off pitch... tar and fether them?

=======

Arpa

Veteran

 

quote:

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by bellthecat:

Errr ...why do you all care what the official representative of a terrorist state thinks?

 

We all know why Israel needs to think it has exclusive use of the word "gencide", a need that is now even stronger now that Israel is about to commit genocide on the Palestinians.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can say a lot about the subject but none of it will be new, except that we seem to have collective amnesia. Israel threw out the Armenian question in the early eighties, yet, as stupid as we may be, we kept hammering them until the "worst kept secret" of the century surfaced. One had to be blind to not see the natural affinity of Turkey and Israel as neither of them has a friend in their respective neighborhood. To get back to bltc's statement "...who cares?". We must also suffer from a terminal condition of masochism. Why do we keep asking questions knowing that we won't like the answer? Besides, as above, WHO CARES!!! Who the hell are they anyway!!! Who assigned them judge jury and executioner?

 

http://armenians.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4797&hl=rivka

[Armat]

Armat, I think that what would really prove effective would be to mention what Lemkin said about the Armenian genocide as opposed to just providing a definition that just about everyone knows but won't accept it to be the case for Armenians for a number of reasons, intentionally nasty or not.

My letter however short on substance was not intended to educate or enlighten the Ambassador since she very much knows all the facts but repeats what her government wants her to parrot.

I simply wanted her and her people to know that we are not going to tolerate it and they must know this.

If she had received thousands of letters like what I wrote, I can guarantee you that next time she won’t open her mouth so liberally.

[Armat]

Act or be acted upon.

[Stormig]

Turda Abboushtt-Twat.

[Anonymouse]

The Genocide is not in the interest of the Anglo-American-Israeli Establishment.

[Jewish Friend]

Act or be acted upon.

In this case kill or be killed! Israel blew up the King David hotel killing Jews too to get the Brits out of Zion. Posters here want to complain all day why others treat Armos different or are you all going to defend yourelves against your enemies. don't look to others..God helps those who help themselves. Know why Jews get heard?, they are now willing to yell, shout, shoot, be as bad as the enemy wants them to be, to preserve the less than 12 million still left on this planet..less than .1 % of the population. You can't have those small numbers in face of billions of people unless you act loud and decisive and organize as one. Stop writing, start fighting! Yid Kid

[Vigil]

Posters here want to complain all day why others treat Armos different or are you all going to defend yourelves against your enemies.

 

I do not think anyone on these forums has ever mentioned the need for outside help nor have they asked to for it, but some have clearly identified our competition.

 

When you mean defend what are you referring to? Defense would mean that their is a offensive against Armenians, which would create a need to "defend" against. Is their a attack on Armenians to begin with?

 

We can begin with the attacks on Armenians by the media in the United States, which is run by the "elite media", who these people are we do not know.

 

The second offensive front is in politics. Our lobbies are constantly confronted by a certain groups that are in bed with Turkey, but again the identities of these rivals are oblivious to most American Armenians due to the fact these individuals would be forced into a corner and called racists if they were to mention names.

 

While abroad we face the super powers constant greed. We do not just undermine our enemies interest, but also the interests of a certain few in the upper circles. If these people had a choice they would just eliminate Armenia all together and continue with their ambitions of world domination.

 

The actions of the Brits are not a shock to most Armenians. Practically the entire oil production in Azerbeijan is headed by British Petrolium and the only way the oil will reach the UK is through Turkey.

 

Makes wonder what Armenians are really up against?

Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil

[Stormig]

I suppose, if, after Manicaland were to recognise the genocide, Zimbabwe's saying it wasn't so would be so the end of the world... Boo hoo...

[nairi]

Clean up done. Now let's stick to the topic and quit the racism.

[Vigil]

Azg, Yerevan, in Armenian

10 Mar 04 p 5

 

Armenian paper condemns British envoy for denying genocide

 

 

The British ambassador's recent remarks on the 1915 Armenian genocide

are false and offensive, says an article reprinted by the Armenian

newspaper Azg from California Courier. The paper interviewed

Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt who said that "the British government

had condemned the massacres as an atrocity at the time, and still

did, but the evidence was not sufficiently unequivocal that what took

place could be categorized as genocide under the 1948 United Nations

Convention on Genocide". At the same time, the paper criticized the

Armenian government for not reacting to the ambassador's statement.

It urged Armenian organizations to condemn the British government's

position and stage demonstrations outside the embassy. The following

is a text of Harut Sassounian report by Armenian newspaper Azg on 10

March headlined "One should not keep silent in this case".

Subheadings have been inserted editorially:

 

On 20 January, during an interview to the Regnum agency in connection

with the first anniversary of her diplomatic posting in Armenia, the

British ambassador to Armenia made a false and offensive statement on

the Armenian genocide. Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt was reported by

Azg newspaper as saying: "Great Britain accepts that the events of

1915 were mass killings (of the Armenian population), the responsible

for which are the Turks. I see no problem calling it brutality. It

shouldn't have taken place even in the course of war. But, I do not

think that recognizing the events as genocide would be of much use."

 

British envoy's comment

 

Before writing this column, I sent an e-mail to the British

ambassador to confirm that she was accurately quoted. She responded

by saying: "On the events of 1915, I said words to the effect quoted,

but the translation has come out slightly clumsily. What I said was

that I understood the strength of feeling in Armenia about what

happened and that I knew that this was an issue which still touched

people very deeply nearly ninety years on. The British government had

condemned the massacres as an atrocity at the time, and still did.

But the evidence was not sufficiently unequivocal that what took

place could be categorized as genocide under the 1948 United Nations

Convention on Genocide and that while the debate continued among

historians and lawyers, we believed that there was a role for us in

encouraging countries in the region to look to the future and to work

actively for better relations and a lessening of tension."

 

In my response to her, I pointed out that I had no quarrel with her

personally, since as ambassador, she was merely expressing the

position of her government. Nevertheless, I inquired if she could

explain why the British government would take the highly offensive

and incorrect position that the Armenian genocide did not fit the UN

definition of genocide. I told her that I was quite familiar with the

UN definition, as I had spent 10 years lobbying at the UN for the

acceptance of the Armenian genocide. In 1985, the UN Subcommission on

the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities finally

recognized the Armenian genocide as a genocide, and included it as

such in its report on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide. I found it absurd that the British government would

question the compatibility of the Armenian genocide with the UN

definition, since the UN itself had taken the position that the

Armenian Genocide perfectly fit its definition of genocide! It is

quite upsetting that any ambassador sitting in Yerevan would have the

audacity to dispute that what happened to the Armenians in 1915 was

genocide!

 

No Armenian reaction so far

 

It is even more upsetting that in the past six weeks, not a single

Armenian government official, nor the representative of any political

organization, indeed not a single Armenian has bothered to respond to

the ambassador's insulting words on the Armenian genocide! By now,

there should have been dozens of statements issued by various

Armenian entities, both in Armenia and the diaspora, condemning both

the British ambassador and her government. There should have been

daily demonstrations in front of the British embassy in Yerevan. The

Armenian Foreign Ministry should have delivered a diplomatic note of

protest to the ambassador and put her on notice that the Armenian

government would not tolerate such offensive statements. In a recent

interview she gave to a journalist in Armenia, Ambassador Abott-Watt

said: "I like a good khorovads [kebab]. By the time I leave Armenia,

I hope I'll be able to make good khorovads." If the Armenians would

react strongly to her deeply injurious statement on the genocide,

before she returns to London, she may also learn that distorting the

facts of the Armenian genocide is highly offensive to Armenians and a

sin against all victims of crimes against humanity. By their silence,

Armenians are simply encouraging the British and others to continue

questioning the facts of the Armenian genocide.

 

Imagine what would have happened if some ambassador would have been

foolish enough to give a press conference in the middle of Tel Aviv,

saying that the Holocaust was simply "an atrocity" or "a brutality"

and did not fit the UN definition of genocide! That ambassador would

have been kicked out of Israel within 24 hours. Armenians not only

should raise their voices in protest against the British ambassador,

more importantly, they should urge Armenian government officials and

political organizations not to remain silent in the face of such

denials!

Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil

[hytga]

http://www.azg.am/start.pl?lang=EN&num=2004031604

 

READERS REACT ANGRILY TO BRITISH AMBASSADOR'S INSULTING REMARKS

 

Following my last week's column, scores of Armenians and some non-Armenians from several countries sent e-mails to the British Ambassador in Armenia expressing their outrage at her statement that the Armenian Genocide was not a genocide!

 

Here are short excerpts from some of the e-mails that were sent to the British Ambassador in Armenia, Thorda Abbott-Watt:

 

"Disregard and denial of historic truths comes easy to British diplomacy, long practiced in lying and deception·. There is a putrid odor that emanates from the mouths of those who proclaim moral rectitude in British state policy," Eddie Arnavoudian.

 

"Upholding truth and morality is clearly not an essential part of your job description·. Your statement is also a breach of the most elementary rules of courtesy and hospitality·. I can only hope, therefore, that you will very soon take the next opportunity to correct your gross lack of grace and style," Nicolas Tavitian.

 

"You owe the long-suffering Armenian people a public apology and at least a cursory effort to review the historical literature," Sylvia Parsons.

 

"Your comments raise serious questions as to whether you are qualified to occupy the post of ambassadorship to the Republic of Armenia. Trying to cast doubt on history and deny the Armenian Genocide is not only cowardly, but plain stupid on your part. In the future, please save yourself some grace and keep your mouth shut on this topic, unless you are able to speak facts," Pedro Zarokian.

 

"I am deeply troubled by your statement regarding the 1915 Genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire," Tigran Melkonyan.

 

"Your comments are insensitive, to say the least," Onnik Krikorian.

 

"Shame on you and your government! Would you have the intestinal fortitude to go to Jerusalem and contend that the genocide of the Jews never took place? I think not! Your ugly words are a despicable form of terrorism perpetrated upon all truth loving, decent members of the human race," Hovsep Fidanian, Ph.D.

 

"I am shocked by your statement on the Armenian Genocide. Do you really believe that distorting our history will help us look to the future and work actively for better relations and a lessening of tensions in the region? Don't be so naive," Dr. Smbat Jamalyan.

 

"My family and I are offended by your lack of knowledge of the facts of the Genocide by Turkey against the Armenians. It seems that you have not done your homework before accepting your position as Ambassador to Armenia. This nation has suffered enough and your denial of the Genocide does not help matters," Vrejouhi Atikian.

 

"I am not an Armenian. But, as a human being, I am greatly offended by your categorization which is meant to diminish the scope of this horrific human tragedy. There is only one honorable way to deal with your grave error of judgment. Apologize and take a history lesson. Please act now. Tell the world that you are sorry for such a grave lapse of judgment. I intend to take this matter further, if I do not succeed. I will spearhead a boycott of British products," Nader Rastegar.

 

"This spineless position is a discredit to British government. The present British government has decided that British interests coincide more with Turkey, hence the dance to the tune of Turkish music and delight," Dr. Ara Nahabedian.

 

"We must first understand the past! Without a full understanding of history, we collectively will never be able to prevent genocide from occurring again," Arthur Halvajian. Those sending e-mails to the British Ambassador in the last few days have received the following "out of office auto reply": "Bad luck! I am away! If your e-mail is urgent please send it to Roy Wilson, our Deputy Head of Mission. Otherwise I look forward to reading it on my return on Thursday 11 March."

 

Even though the Ambassador is simply repeating the shameful position of the British government, sending a large number of e-mails would have the dual benefit of informing her and her government that Armenians would no longer tolerate the denial of the Genocide by British officials. Keep on sending your e-mails to: Thorda.Abbott-Watt@fco.gov.uk and send a copy to me: sassoun@pacbell.net

 

I am pleased to report that the Ramgavar Party of Armenia issued a statement a few days ago calling on the British Ambassador as well as her government to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Let's hope that other organizations in Armenia and the Diaspora would issue similar statements! Regrettably, the Armenian government has yet to show any reaction to the British Ambassador's offensive remarks. Strangely, Armenian officials do not seem to be bothered by the fact that a foreign diplomat can stand up in the middle of Yerevan and insult the memory of the Armenian martyrs. By our silence, we are sending the message to all other Ambassadors in Armenia that they too can deny the Armenian Genocide with impunity! All the Armenian government has to do is expel one Ambassador. The other Ambassadors would get the message! Please send your e-mails to the Armenian Foreign Ministry (info@Armenianforeignministry.com), urging the government to condemn Amb. Abbott-Watt's statement and consider expelling her from Armenia!

 

By Harut Sassounian, Publisher, The California Courier

 

I still think more official responses are needed. the government is too passive on the issue

[Sasun]

Armenia Protests To Britain Over Envoy’s Genocide Denial

 

www.armenialiberty.org

By Emil Danielyan

 

Armenia has sent a diplomatic note to Britain protesting its Yerevan-based ambassador’s inflammatory remark that the 1915 slaughter of more than one million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey was not a genocide, a spokesman said on Thursday.

 

Ambassador Thorda Abbott-Watt’s explicit denial of the genocide, voiced at a meeting with students last month and reiterated afterwards, has caused an uproar in Armenia and especially its worldwide Diaspora. Over the past two weeks she has been bombarded with angry letters condemning her and demanding an apology.

 

Abbott-Watt argues that her comments reflect the position of the British government which does not recognize the mass killings as genocide. “I am sorry that my Government's position on how we refer to the events of 1915-16 causes you personal distress,” she replied to an Armenian-American detractor by e-mail last week.

 

“Please accept that we understand why Armenians feel so strongly about what happened, and have ourselves always condemned the massacres. We extend our sympathy to the descendants of all the victims and our assurance that what happened will not be forgotten.”

 

There have also been calls for the Armenian government to seek the envoy’s expulsion from Armenia. But both President Robert Kocharian and the Foreign Ministry have ruled out that option. The ministry spokesman, Hamlet Gasparian, said Yerevan can only “regret such a position.”

 

“Such issues are better dealt with through diplomatic channels, not publicly,” Gasparian said in a statement. “As in the past, this time, too, the authorities expressed their position to the UK government with a diplomatic note.”

 

“Of course each country has its own position on this matter, based on its own strategic interests. However, the ambassadors of those countries to Armenia should approach such a sensitive issue with great caution and sensitivity.”

 

In February 2002, the Foreign Ministry protested to Israel over its Ambassador Rivka Kohen’s similar denial of the genocide. Kohen had told reporters in Yerevan earlier that what happened to the Armenians was just a "tragedy" that should not be compared to the Jewish Holocaust. Yerevan’s reaction was more strongly-worded at the time.

 

It is not the first time that the current British government’s handling of the sensitive issue comes into question. Prime Minister Tony Blair’s cabinet faced domestic protests in January 2001 when it attempted to exclude Armenians from official ceremonies marking Britain’s Holocaust Memorial Day. It caved in under pressure from prominent public figures and media.

 

“The Daily Telegraph,” the UK’s best-selling broadsheet newspaper, referred to the events of 1915 as “the first genocide of the modern era.” “Britain stands firm among a dwindling band of nations that fail to acknowledge the massacres were genocide,” another leading London daily, “The Guardian,” wrote in a lengthy article on the subject.

 

Ironically, British statesmen’s First World War-era accounts have been a major source of reference for the Armenians in their campaign for international recognition of the genocide. The Armenian Genocide Museum in Yerevan, for example, has a plaque dedicated to Lord James Bryce, whose 700-page Blue Book, a collection of evidence of the massacres, was published by the British Foreign Office in 1916.

[ARR]

I wrote the following email to Ms. Thorda Abbott-Watt. Her email address Thorda.Abbott-Watt@fco.gov.uk

 

Ms. Thorda Abbott-Watt,

 

In your blatant denial of the fact of Armenian Genocide you have not only disrespected the memory of over a million and half Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks, but also sided with murderers who carried out those horrible acts.

 

You owe an apology to Armenian nation and entire civilized world that condemns crimes against humanity.

 

The next day she replied:

 

Dear Mr. ********

 

Thank you for your email.

 

I am sorry that my Government's position on how we refer to the events of 1915-16 causes you personal distress. What I actually said was that the evidence was not sufficiently unequivocal that what took place could be classified as a genocide under the 1948 United Nations Convention on Genocide, and that while the debate continued among historians we believed that there was a role for us to encourage countries in the region to look to the future and to work actively for better relations and a lessening of tensions.

 

Please accept that we understand why Armenians feel so strongly about what happened, and have ourselves always condemned the massacres. We extend our sympathy to the descendants of all the victims and our assurance that what happened will not be forgotten.

 

Yours sincerely,

Thorda Abbott-Watt

 

19 March 2004