declaration Archives

BSEC Declaration on Regional Conflicts amended ‘without Armenia’s consent’

November 29, 2017 By administrator

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Parliamentary Assembly adopted in its plenary session in Kiev amendments to its Declaration on Regional Conflicts in an unprecedented move not previously agreed with the Armenian delegates

Before the start of the Assembly’s 50th jubilee session in Ukraine’s capital, the heads of all the participant countries’ delegations conducted a private meeting with the BSEC secretary general and the head of Ukraine’s national delegation to discuss the passage of the measure. But Armenia was not invited to join the debate, the National Assembly’s press service reports, considering the attitude insulting for not only Armenia but also all the participant countries’ delegations.

According to an official statement condemning the incident, the amendment, incorporated into the document in breach of the acceptable code of ethics, also runs counter to the fundamental norms and principles of international law (territorial integrity, non-use of force and threat of force, and peoples’ right to self-determination).

“No incident of the kind had ever occurred in the past 25 years of the Assembly’s history. We evaluate the practice as a breach of the organization’s traditions and essence. Such a workstyle is unacceptable and condemnable for any parliamentary delegation. As a sign of protest, the Armenia delegation walked away from the session,” reads the statement.

The Armenian delegates also warn the other national delegations against yielding to provocation “to avoid subordinating the organization’s goals and objectives to individual countries’ political interests”. They further make a strong call for condemning the practice and returning to a constructive cooperation “underlying the Assembly’s essence and traditions”.

EU Eyes Closer Ties With Armenia Amid Tensions Over Brussels Summit Declaration

November 23, 2017 By administrator

By Rikard Jozwiak

BRUSSELS — The leaders of the European Union and the six Eastern Partnership countries will meet in Brussels on November 24 in an effort to deepen ties between the EU and the former Soviet republics.

The summit’s main event will likely be the signing of an enhanced EU partnership deal with Armenia. That pact, however, omits free trade and is less ambitious than the association agreements secured by Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Like those three countries, Armenia previously negotiated an EU Association Agreement. But Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian walked away from the deal in 2013 under pressure from Russia.

Armenia later joined the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The EU launched the Eastern Partnership in 2009 to promote economic integration and European values in six eastern European and South Caucasus countries.

The run-up to this year’s summit has otherwise been dominated by speculation about whether authoritarian Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka would show up. Minsk said on November 21 that Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makei would lead its delegation.

In October, EU sources told RFE/RL that Lukashenka had received an invitation “without restrictions,” just like the leaders of the other five Eastern Partnership states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

This was a U-turn compared to the previous four summits, when he was blocked after being hit with EU sanctions following a violent crackdown on protesters after the Belarusian presidential elections in 2010.

Most of the sanctions, including those on Lukashenka, were lifted in February 2016.

Conflicting Statements

This year’s summit in Brussels could also see clashes over the gathering’s final declaration, according to EU diplomats familiar with the talks.

One paragraph concerning conflicts in the region has been left open after both Armenia and Azerbaijan wanted specific, but conflicting, statements on the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh, according to a draft text seen by RFE/RL.

The current text also fails to mention the war between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, a conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

“The summit participants call for renewed efforts to promote the peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region on the basis of the principles and norms of international law,” it reads.

It adds that “the resolution of the conflicts, building trust and good neighborly relations are essential to economic and social development and cooperation.”

EU diplomats told RFE/RL that they wanted neutral wording in the statement and to omit any mention of specific conflicts in the Eastern Partnership countries, citing squabbles between Baku and Yerevan over the 2015 declaration that delayed the summit by several hours.

Ukraine is also likely to make a final push to secure more positive wording concerning its prospects of eventually joining the EU.

The current draft language on that topic is identical to that of the previous summit, stating that “the summit participants acknowledge the European aspirations and European choice of the partners concerned, as stated in the association agreements.”

The text references a December 2016 decision by EU heads of state that included a legally binding supplement to its association agreement underscoring that Brussels will not give Kyiv the right to automatic EU membership or guarantee any EU military aid for Ukraine.

The addendum allowed the Netherlands to finally ratify the Ukraine Association Agreement earlier this year despite the fact that 61 percent of Dutch voters disapproved of the deal in a citizen-driven, nonbinding referendum held in April 2016.

The draft declaration also outlines some future EU strategies in the Eastern Partnership countries.

These include “facilitating access to local currency lending” for local small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting “increased access to high-speed broadband,” and “progressing towards reduced roaming tariffs among the partner countries.”

Riga summit declaration contains provision on conflict settlement

May 23, 2015 By administrator

The heads of state or government and the representatives of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, the representatives of the European Union and the heads of state or government and representatives of its member states adopted Thursday, May 22, a joint declaration upon completion of the Eastern Partnership summit.

The participants reconfirmed the high importance they attach to the Eastern Partnership as a specific dimension of the European Neighborhood Policy. They reaffirmed their shared vision of this strategic and ambitious Partnership as one based on mutual interests and commitments and supporting sustained reform processes.

The declaration also refers to resolution of conflict, saying:

“The summit participants emphasize the need for the earliest peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the region on the basis of the principles and norms of international law. The resolution of conflicts, building trust and good neighborly relations are essential to economic and social development and cooperation. The Summit participants welcome the EU’s contribution to further promoting stability and confidence building, and underline the need for stronger EU engagement in this regard. They welcome the EU’s strengthened role in conflict resolution and confidence building efforts in the framework or in support of existing agreed formats and processes, including through field presence when appropriate. They highlight the importance of advancing the negotiations in the 5+2 format on a comprehensive political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and welcome intensified Chisinau-Tiraspol dialogue in all formats. They reiterate their full support to the mediation efforts by the co-chairs of the Minsk Group on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, including at the level of Presidents and their statements since 2009.”

Photo: Reuters

ТАСС: Саммит в Риге поддержал усиление роли ЕС в решении конфликтов на территории бывшего СССР

Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit (Riga, 21-22 May 2015)

Copy of Pan-Armenian Declaration handed over to UN chief

March 12, 2015 By administrator

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, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, majority of U.S. states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium and Wales, National Council of Switzerland, Chamber of Commons of Canada, Polish Sejm, Vatican, European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.

Pan-Armenian Declaration on 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide adopted

January 30, 2015 By administrator

Following the session of the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, President Serzh Sargsyan, in company with the commission members and the participants of the enlarged session, on Thursday visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Victims of the Mets Eghern and paid tribute to the memories of the innocent victims. Later on, the members of the state commission familiarized with the preparatory works of the new exhibition to be held at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, the presidential press service reported.

At the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex there also took place the promulgation ceremony of the Pan-Armenian Declaration on the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The declaration was adopted unanimously at the session of the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. President Serzh Sargsyan read the document and pursuant to the resolution of the State Commission on Coordination of the events for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, deposited the original copy of the declaration with the Armenian-Genocide Museum-Institute. The Armenian President noted that one copy of the declaration will be sent to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and one will be deposited in the National Archives of the Republic of Armenia.

Pan-Armenian Declaration on the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide

The State Commission on the Coordination of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, in consultation with its regional committees in the Diaspora,

-expressing the united will of the Armenian people,

-based on the Declaration of Independence of Armenia of 23 August 1990 and the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia,

-recalling the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948, whereby recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

-guided by the respective principles and provisions of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 96(1) of 11 December 1946, the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 9 December 1948, the United Nations Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity of 26 November 1968, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966 as well as all the other international documents on human rights,

-taking into consideration that while adopting the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the United Nations specifically underlined the importance of international cooperation in the struggle against that criminal offence,

-emphasizing the inadmissibility of impunity of the constituent elements of the crime of genocide and the non-applicability of statutory limitation thereto,

-condemning the genocidal acts against the Armenian people, planned and continuously perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire and various regimes of Turkey in 1894-1923, dispossession of the homeland, the massacres and ethnic cleansing aimed at the extermination of the Armenian population, the destruction of the Armenian heritage, as well as the denial of the Genocide, all attempts to avoid responsibility, to consign to oblivion the committed crimes and their consequences or to justify them, as a continuation of this crime and encouragement to commit new genocides,

– also considering the 1919-1921 verdicts of the courts-martial of the Ottoman Empire on that grave crime perpetrated “against the law and humanity’’ as a legal assessment of the fact,

– appreciating the joint declaration of the Allied Powers on May 24, 1915, for the first time in history defining the most heinous crime perpetrated against the Armenian people as a “crime against humanity and civilization” and emphasizing the necessity of holding Ottoman authorities responsible, as well as the role and significance of the Sevres Peace Treaty of 10 August 1920 and US President Woodrow Wilson’s Arbitral Award of 22 November 1920 in overcoming the consequences of the Armenian Genocide:

1. Commemorates one-and-a-half million innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide and bows in gratitude before those martyred and surviving heroes who struggled for their lives and human dignity.

2. Reiterates the commitment of Armenia and the Armenian people to continue the international struggle for the prevention of genocides, the restoration of the rights of people subjected to genocide and the establishment of historical justice.

3. Expresses gratitude to those states and international, religious and non-governmental organizations that had political courage to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide as a heinous crime against humanity and even today continue to undertake legal measures to that end, also preventing the dangerous manifestations of denialism.

4. Expresses gratitude to those nations, institutions and individuals, who often endangering their lives, provided multifaceted humanitarian assistance and rescued many Armenians facing the threat of total annihilation, created safe and peaceful conditions for the survivors of the Armenian Genocide, thus promoting orphan care and the international Armenophile movement.

5. Appeals to UN member states, international organizations, all people of good will, regardless of their ethnic origin and religious affiliation, to unite their efforts aimed at restoring historical justice and paying tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

6. Expresses the united will of Armenia and the Armenian people to achieve worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the elimination of the consequences of the Genocide, preparing to this end a file of legal claims as a point of departure in the process of restoring individual, communal and pan-Armenian rights and legitimate interests.

7. Condemns the illegal blockade of the Republic of Armenia imposed by the Republic of Turkey, its anti-Armenian stance in international fora and the imposition of preconditions in the normalization of interstate relations, considering this a consequence of the continued impunity of the Armenian Genocide, Meds Yeghern.

8. Calls upon the Republic of Turkey to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, and to face its own history and memory through commemorating the victims of that heinous crime against humanity and renouncing the policy of falsification, denialsm and banalizations of this indisputable fact.

Supports those segments of Turkish civil society whose representatives nowadays dare to speak out against the official position of the authorities.

9. Expresses the hope that recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey will serve as a starting point for the historical reconciliation of the Armenian and Turkish peoples.

10. Proudly notes that during the last century the Armenian people, having survived the Genocide,

– Demonstrated an unbending will and national self-consciousness and restored its sovereign statehood, lost centuries ago,

– Preserved and developed national values, achieved the renaissance of their national culture, science and education, bringing its unique contribution to the development of world heritage,

– established a powerful and effective network of religious and secular institutions in the Armenian Diaspora, thus contributing to the preservation of their Armenian identity in Armenian communities worldwide, the shaping of a respected and esteemed image of the Armenian, and the protection of the legitimate rights of the Armenian people,

– united and restored the national gene pool that was facing extermination as a result of the Genocide, through a pan-Armenian cooperation and extensive repatriation program,

– made its valuable contribution to international peace and security during the First and the Second World Wars and won glorious victories in the heroic battle of Sardarapat and the Artsakh war.

11. Considers the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide an important milestone in the ongoing struggle for historical justice under the motto “I remember and demand”.

12. Calls upon the coming generations of Armenians to protect their sacred native heritage with patriotism, consciousness and intellect and resolutely struggle and serve for:

– a stronger Homeland, free and democratic Republic of Armenia,

– the progress and strengthening of independent Artsakh,

– the efficient unity of Armenians worldwide,

– the realization of the centuries-old sacrosanct goals of all Armenians.