Copy of Pan-Armenian Declaration handed over to UN chief

March 12, 2015 - 18:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Permanent Representative of Armenia to UN Zohrab Mnatsakanyan handed over the text of the Pan-Armenian Declaration on Armenian Genocide centennial translated into all UN official languages to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Mediamax reports.

Mnatsakanyan noted that the Declaration aims to strengthen and develop the universal struggle against the crime of genocide. The Secretary General hailed Armenia’s active involvement in versatile international processes as well as its support to the activities of the UN office.

Mnatsakanyan informed Ban about the Armenian Genocide centennial events, stressing their importance in terms of pointing to the inadmissibility of atrocities and reinforcing consistent steps aimed at genocide prevention.

The Armenian ambassador also briefed on Aurora Humanitarian Award officially launched on March 10, as part of the 100 LIVES initiative launched in New York to express gratitude to the individuals and institutions whose heroic actions saved Armenian lives during the Genocide 100 years ago..

Besides, the exchanged views on the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The UN Secretary General reaffirmed the ongoing support to the resolution of the conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group, in accordance with their proposals.

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.