Luxembourg passes resolution on recognition of Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Parliament of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has unanimously adopted a resolution on recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia said in a Facebook post.

Noting similar moves by the European Parliament and a “growing number” of countries around the world, the tiny European state’s Chamber of Deputies said it believes the slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians constituted genocide. It said it is therefore “joining in the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian genocide in the spirit of European solidarity and justice.”

The resolution, however, goes on to praise Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for offering their “condolences” to descendants of Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Turks. But it says Ankara should go further and explicitly recognize the massacres as genocide.

Such a move would “constitute a national and European gesture important and honorable for the Turkish Republic,” according to Luxembourg’s parliament.

Armenia has welcomed the vote.

“Paying tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims, the Parliament of Luxembourg underlines that the events in the Ottoman Empire a century ago constituted genocide, and calls on the Turkish authorities to face their history,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in a statement.

“By adopting this resolution, Luxembourg joined the countries that have recognized the Armenian Genocide and made an important contribution to the high mission of preventing new crimes against humanity,” he said.