Tuesday, April 1 2014

Armenia as the first country to survive Genocide in the early 20th century thinks it necessary to make its contribution to prevention of crimes against humanity, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian said in his speech at the international conference "Responsibility to Protect" in Belgium. The event was timed to the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide.  Minister Nalbandian cited a survivor of the Rwandan Genocide Esther Mujavajo who said that the fourth generation of Armenians is still waiting today for justice. 

"It is almost 100 years that not only the Armenians, but also the international community is waiting for Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide," the minister said.

He said that the tragedies in Cambodia, Rwanda, and Darfur that happened after the Convention for Prevention of Genocides was adopted in 1948 show that good will is insufficient to prevent new crimes against humanity. One of the major reasons of such crimes is lack of adequate response by the world community. It is very important to liquidate the brewing genocidal atmosphere. It is necessary to find out and prevent cases of ethnic, racial, religious discrimination. The world community should assess the roots and reasons of the genocidal atmosphere that leads to that vicious crime, the minister said. He called genocide inconceivable for a society living on the basis of tolerance and protection of human rights and freedoms. According to Nalbandian, the civilized world resolutely denies racism and xenophobia and the conditions that give birth to such phenomena, as well as condemns denial of genocide, crimes against humanity. "Denial is continuation of genocide," the minister said for conclusion.

The conference "Responsibility to Protect" has brought together representatives of 120 countries, as well as NATO Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, CoE Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland, the foreign ministers of over 30 countries and international experts.