Parliament of Spanish Autonomous Community of Navarre Recognizes Armenian Genocide

NAVARRE — As a result of several study visits organised by EuFoA to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh with different parliamentarians, the Parliament of Navarre has adopted yesterday (23 June 2014) a declaration recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

The declaration, adopted by the unicameral Parliament on 23 June 2014, reads that “in accordance with the resolution of the European Parliament of June 1987, reaffirmed by subsequent resolutions (February 28, 2002 and April 1, 2004), the events suffered by the Armenian people are an authentic genocide”.

“As we are nearing the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, such declarations clearly show European solidarity with Armenian people and their suffering” comments EuFoA Director Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa. “EuFoA is proud that thanks to its extensive network, more and more key European stakeholders are aware of the importance of this issue”, he added.

The declaration denounces the policy developed by the Turkish regime existing at that time and calls on Turkey “to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia in spirit of good and harmonious neighbourhood, and to resolve their border dispute peacefully.” In addition the text underlines that given Turkey’s status as candidate for EU membership, those two issues (the recognition of the Genocide and the normalisation of diplomatic relations) should be urgently addressed.

Navarre is a Spanish autonomous region in the north, bordering France, roughly the size of Cyprus (10,391 km2) and populated by around 650,000 inhabitants (equivalent of Montenegro). It is the fourth region in Spain that has recognized the Armenian Genocide, after the Basque Country, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.