“Against Genocide Crime” forum to help improve prevention tools – Armenian president

The global “Against Genocide Crime” forum started in Yerevan on Wednesday hosting about 600 participants from various countries, as part of the Armenian genocide centenary commemoration events in the Armenian capital. 

The reports and statements at the forum will trigger broad international reaction and will play invaluable role in raising the awareness of genocides, the president said, as cited by Novosti-Armenia. 

There has been recently quite much focus on one of the key challenges in the international agendas, diplomatic efforts of the powers and the mass media, Sargsyan said pointing to the escalation of extremism in the Middle East, where minorities suffer violence and genocidal acts. 

This is another alarming fact that shows the threat of genocides and crimes against humanity still exists and, hence, the international organizations, the states and the civil societies need to make a joint effort and show consistency, the president said. 

The first session of the forum focuses on the evolution and further development of the international law instruments to prevent crimes against humanity. The second session will address the responsibility issues and elimination of the genocide consequences, including responsibility, reparations, restoration of rights and guarantees, the current positive experience and unsolved problems. Tomorrow the forum participants will talk about “Parliaments Against Genocide”. 

The “Against Genocide Crimes” is co-chaired by well-known French politician Patrick Devejyan, chairman of Russian Federation Council commission Nikolay Rizhkov and baroness Caroline Cox (Great Britain). 

The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth century. According to Armenian and many other historians, up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed starting in 1915 in a systematic campaign by the government of Turkey. Turkey has been denying it for decades. 

The Armenian genocide was recognized by tens of countries. The first was Uruguay that did so in 1965. Other nations are Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, 43 U.S. states. It was recognized also by the Vatican, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations. –0--