The European Parliament (EP) called on Thursday, March 12 member states of the European Union (EU) to recognize the Armenian genocide as we approach the 100th anniversary of the crime.

The European Parliament adopted the 2013 annual report on human rights and democracy in the world and the EU policy in this area. Article 77 of the adopted report says “the approach of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, invites all Member States of the Union to recognize the legal terms and encourages them and the European institutions, to continue to promote recognition; “

Section 129 of the report also mentions the fate of the Apostolic Armenians and other Christian minorities in the Middle East. The article “calls on the EU and its Member States to ensure that religious minorities are respected in the world and especially in the Middle East where Christians, such as Catholics, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic and Yezidis and Muslim minorities are persecuted by EIIL and other terrorist groups; “

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) welcomed the report. “We expected this report for some years now, when the Special Representative of the European Union for Human Rights was established to promote the values ​​of the European Union in the negotiations, Whether on foreign policy, trade, energy or other cooperation with third countries, “said the EAFJD in a statement.

“We welcome and support this resolution unequivocally, particularly in this centenary year of the Armenian Genocide, in particular paragraph 77 … We expect the EU to put pressure on Turkey to recognize that thus it officially the Armenian genocide it committed, “adds EAFJD.

The EAFJD also stressed the importance of the resolution, which protects all vulnerable groups, minorities and people “in these times of racism, xenophobia, and crisis in the Middle East, in the European neighborhood and the world whole. “

The adoption of the report was also welcomed by European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA). In a statement issued immediately after the adoption, the Director EuFoA Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa, said: “After a long pause, the European Parliament reaffirmed its position on the Armenian genocide, and again reiterates that genocide and their negations are a human rights issue. During this special year, we are grateful for this strong signal of European solidarity with the Armenian people. “