POLAND - THE 17th COUNTRY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net - The resolution passed by the Polish lawmakers does not differ much from the other similar documents, passed in other countries. The most important thing mentioned in the document is that the events of 1915 are considered genocide and it is stressed that the condemnation of genocide is the obligation of the whole humanity. It is worth noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland did not make special efforts to fail the passing of the resolution. Thus, it is quite clear that Warsaw is not afraid to oppose Ankara. It should be mentioned that the foreign policy of Poland is oriented towards USA and it is believed that Polish diplomats try to agree their decisions with Washington. If so, in this cases Warsaw afforded independency. USA will not be happy to realize that the EU membership of Turkey may be conditioned by the recognition by Ankara of the crimes committed by the Young Turkish government. In any case, it is obvious that the resolution passed by the Polish Seym will become a powerful stimulus for the process of international recognition of Armenian genocide, because Poland is not just a EU member state, but a state pretending to regional leadership. The influence of Poland in Europe grows year by year.

The analysis of the process of recognition of Armenian genocide has revealed a notable tendency. The countries that first recognized Armenian genocide had a powerful Armenian community. The last wave of international recognition of the genocide has spread in countries where Armenians do not have enough resources to influence lawmakers. There is no powerful Armenian community both in Poland and Slovakia and in Netherlands. This proves the groundlessness of assertions of Ankara that the parliamentarians of western countries serve their Armenian electors. In reality, it is just the opposite. Genocide is still not recognized in countries, like Georgia, Syria and Iran where there are very large Armenian communities.


In terms of the international recognition of Armenian genocide, the last year was quite productive. From April 2004 till now "Armenian resolutions" have been passed in the parliaments of Canada, Slovakia and Netherlands. The European parliament has passed a document where it is mentioned about the 1987 resolution, which recognized the fact of genocide. Soon, the problem of Armenian genocide will be considered in the parliaments of Germany and Hungary who where the allies of Turkey during the World War. The Council of British Grinet County and city administrations of several Australian cities have adequately evaluated the events of 1915. The recognition of Armenian genocide by municipal and provincial bodies is perhaps a new tendency. This is an important policy, since it obliges central authorities. Armenian genocide is recognized by 36 Italian and 30 French cities, two cantons of Switzerland and the Welsh parliament. The number of American states that have officially recognized Armenian genocide reached 37. Not long ago the genocide was recognized by the states of Vermont, Nebraska, Tennessee and Louisiana. The question of the genocide is still in the US Congress agenda. Last year the subcommittee of the Committee of International Affairs approved the draft resolution where Armenian genocide was mentioned together with the Holocaust and the genocides in Cambodia and Rwanda. 167 out of 425 members of the House of Representatives treat the events of 1915 as genocide. 60 members insist that the issue should be put on the agenda.

The 90th anniversary of the tragedy is commemorated in the background of active international campaign for the recognition of Armenian genocide. If after 80 years the genocide was recognized only by two countries, during the last 10 years 15 countries recognized Armenian genocide. There is not doubt that by the 100th anniversary of the genocide, the whole world will be with us.