MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide
13.4.2015 - (2015/2590(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Charles Tannock, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Ryszard Czarnecki, Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski, Marek Jurek, Angel Dzhambazki, Mark Demesmaeker, Bas Belder, Kosma Złotowski, Sajjad Karim on behalf of the ECR Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0342/2015
B8‑0348/2015
European Parliament resolution on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its resolution on the political solution to the Armenian question of 18 June 1987[1],
– having regard to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,
– having regard to its resolution of 2 April 2009 on European conscience and totalitarianism[2],
– having regard to the Annual report on human rights and democracy in the world in 2013 and the EU policy on the matter,
– having regard to its resolution of 28 September 2005 on the opening of negotiations with Turkey[3],
– having regard to the resolution of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly of 17 March 2015 on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide,
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas one of the main motivations for the European unification movement is the will to prevent the recurrence of wars and crimes against humanity in Europe;
B. whereas 2015 marks the centennial of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire, which resulted in the deportation of nearly 2 million Armenians, 1.5 million of whom were killed;
C. whereas, along with the Ottoman Armenians, the Ottoman Pontic, Greek, Assyrian, Yazidi and other ethnic and religious minorities were also victims of this extermination policy;
D. whereas the European Parliament recognised in its resolution of 18 June 1987 that the massacres of Armenians which took place in the years 1915 to 1923 constitute genocide within the meaning of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide;
E. whereas many other countries have recognised and condemned the Armenian Genocide, including Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden; whereas Turkey has so far refused to do so;
F. whereas the Armenian Genocide assumes even greater significance in the context of the commemorations of the centenary of the First World War;
1. Joins the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide in a spirit of European brotherhood, solidarity and justice;
2. Stresses that denials of genocide and other crimes against humanity, and of acts of racism, xenophobia or religious hatred, constitute a clear violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and as such should be condemned;
3. Welcomes the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by an increasing number of EU Member States, their national parliaments and third countries; encourages the EU Member States to acknowledge this fact and, together with the EU Institutions, contribute to its recognition by members of the international community; reiterates its call on Turkey to recognise the Armenian Genocide;
4. Underlines the importance of taking the necessary legislative measures to prevent the denial of the Armenian Genocide;
5. Proposes that a European remembrance day for the Genocide be established, in order to recall again the right of all peoples and all nations throughout the world to peace and dignity;
6. Pays tribute to the memory of the innocent victims of all genocides and crimes committed against humanity;
7. Invites Turkey to respect and fully implement the legal obligations it has undertaken, including those provisions which relate to the protection of cultural heritage and, in particular, to conduct in good faith an integrated inventory of Armenian and other cultural heritage destroyed or ruined during the past century;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the EU Member States, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the President and Parliament of Armenia and the President and Parliament of Turkey.