Agence France Presse
April 23 2005
European Churches call on Turkey to recognise Armenian Genocide
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) on Saturday called on
Turkey to recognise that it committed genocide against Armenians and
urged reconciliation between Ankara and Yerevan.
“The Presidium subscribes to the words which the Catholicos of All
Armenians, Karekin II, and Catholicos Aram I have repeatedly
expressed: the horrific crimes in connection with the Armenian
genocide should never be forgotten.
“Guilt must be admitted and the truth must be told,” the CEC said in
a statement.
Armenia marks on Sunday the 90th anniversary of mass killings in the
Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of modern Turkey, which Armenia and
many other countries qualify as genocide but which Turkey denies ever
took place.
“The Presidium urges the Turkish government to initiate a process of
reconciliation between the Turkish and the Armenian peoples in which
the recognition of guilt and the proclamation of the truth need to be
integral elements,” it said.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen perished in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was
falling apart.
Ankara counters that 300,000 Armenians and thousands of Turks were
killed in “civil strife” during World War I when the Armenians rose
against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.
The Conference of European Churches, founded in 1959, is a fellowship
of 126 Orthodox, Protestant and Old Catholic Churches, along with 43
associated organisations from across Europe.
The European Union is to open accession negotiations with Turkey on
October