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PRESS RELEASE
The Armenian Community (UK)
an occassional publication dedicated to British-Armenian Affairs
Garod House, 42 Blythe Rd., London W14 0HA
20 June 2005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS AT HEART OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT
LONDON (15th June 2005) At 10a.m. on June 15th 2005, a series of
important events commenced at the heart of the British Government.
The British-Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group, sponsored by the
AGBU, held three separate events aimed at reminding the British
government that the United Kingdom has still failed to recognise the
Armenian Genocide.
Church Service
At St. Margaret's Church in Westminster Abbey, a Memorial Service took
place in the presence of such British dignitaries, such as Baroness
Cox, Lord Avebury, Lord Biffen, Baroness Flather, Baroness Park of
Monmouth and The Earl of Shannon alongside Members of Parliament,
Robert Wareing and Paddy Tipping. An Armenian delegation was also
present including His Excellency Vartan Oskanyan, Foreign minister of
Armenia, Sarkis Assadurian, former Canadian M.P. and French
M.P. Francois Rochebloine.
Conference on Genocide
Following the Memorial Service a Conference took place in the Moses
Room of the House of Lords. Baroness Cox opened proceedings with an
impassioned analysis of the non-recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the British Government. Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanyan followed
in a similar vein, speaking eloquently about the denial promulgated by
the Turkish Government, and backed up by some Western powers,
including Great Britain. He also thanked Odette Bazil and the BAAPG
for organising this event given that as a result of the General
Election April 24th was not fully commemorated this year.
Both Sarkis Assadurian and Francois Rochebloine considered how they
had worked in their respective countries' recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, and notably Rochebloine laughed off the mountain of denial
materials that were sent to him personally, in a bid to persuade him
otherwise.
Finally James Smith of the Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre and the Aegis
Trust spoke about how their organisations went about remembering the
Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide.
Also present were British MPs, diplomats, other politicians, Foreign
and Commonwealth Office advisers, journalists, academics, as well as
members of the British Armenian community.
The questions from the floor made for a lively session after the
presentations, with historian John Fox drawing attention to an article
in the current issue of History Today that belittled Armenian
historians, suggesting that 'Armenian' historiography is keen to
enforce a standard line on how the genocide is interpreted.
Foreign Minister Oskanyan was asked his opinion on Armenian-Turkish
reconciliation, whilst James Smith was asked what the Aegis Trust was
doing to combat Armenian Genocide denial, especially given his
organisations' role on the Holocaust Memorial Day Steering Group.
British Armenian Community Ignores Friends
The Rabbi Baaden who had contributed to the Memorial Service earlier
in the day, made an extremely pertinent point. He stated that he has
been keen to involve himself in matters relating to the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide, but stated with some exasperation, that nobody
from the Armenian community had approached him despite knowledge of
his commitment within UK community organisations for at least three
years.
Petition to British Prime Minister
After lunch a delegation went to 10 Downing Street to present
thousands of petitions that the British-Armenian All Party
Parliamentary Group has been collecting in the last few months,
demanding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
The day was a successful reminder that the Armenians of the United
Kingdom will continue to pressure their Government until the latter
ditches its subservience to Turkey in denying the truth.
Nora Vosbigian
London
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Armenian Community (UK) is an occassional publication on
British-Armenian affairs.
The Armenian Community (UK)
an occassional publication dedicated to British-Armenian Affairs
Garod House, 42 Blythe Rd., London W14 0HA
20 June 2005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS AT HEART OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT
LONDON (15th June 2005) At 10a.m. on June 15th 2005, a series of
important events commenced at the heart of the British Government.
The British-Armenian All Party Parliamentary Group, sponsored by the
AGBU, held three separate events aimed at reminding the British
government that the United Kingdom has still failed to recognise the
Armenian Genocide.
Church Service
At St. Margaret's Church in Westminster Abbey, a Memorial Service took
place in the presence of such British dignitaries, such as Baroness
Cox, Lord Avebury, Lord Biffen, Baroness Flather, Baroness Park of
Monmouth and The Earl of Shannon alongside Members of Parliament,
Robert Wareing and Paddy Tipping. An Armenian delegation was also
present including His Excellency Vartan Oskanyan, Foreign minister of
Armenia, Sarkis Assadurian, former Canadian M.P. and French
M.P. Francois Rochebloine.
Conference on Genocide
Following the Memorial Service a Conference took place in the Moses
Room of the House of Lords. Baroness Cox opened proceedings with an
impassioned analysis of the non-recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the British Government. Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanyan followed
in a similar vein, speaking eloquently about the denial promulgated by
the Turkish Government, and backed up by some Western powers,
including Great Britain. He also thanked Odette Bazil and the BAAPG
for organising this event given that as a result of the General
Election April 24th was not fully commemorated this year.
Both Sarkis Assadurian and Francois Rochebloine considered how they
had worked in their respective countries' recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, and notably Rochebloine laughed off the mountain of denial
materials that were sent to him personally, in a bid to persuade him
otherwise.
Finally James Smith of the Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre and the Aegis
Trust spoke about how their organisations went about remembering the
Holocaust and the Rwandan Genocide.
Also present were British MPs, diplomats, other politicians, Foreign
and Commonwealth Office advisers, journalists, academics, as well as
members of the British Armenian community.
The questions from the floor made for a lively session after the
presentations, with historian John Fox drawing attention to an article
in the current issue of History Today that belittled Armenian
historians, suggesting that 'Armenian' historiography is keen to
enforce a standard line on how the genocide is interpreted.
Foreign Minister Oskanyan was asked his opinion on Armenian-Turkish
reconciliation, whilst James Smith was asked what the Aegis Trust was
doing to combat Armenian Genocide denial, especially given his
organisations' role on the Holocaust Memorial Day Steering Group.
British Armenian Community Ignores Friends
The Rabbi Baaden who had contributed to the Memorial Service earlier
in the day, made an extremely pertinent point. He stated that he has
been keen to involve himself in matters relating to the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide, but stated with some exasperation, that nobody
from the Armenian community had approached him despite knowledge of
his commitment within UK community organisations for at least three
years.
Petition to British Prime Minister
After lunch a delegation went to 10 Downing Street to present
thousands of petitions that the British-Armenian All Party
Parliamentary Group has been collecting in the last few months,
demanding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
The day was a successful reminder that the Armenians of the United
Kingdom will continue to pressure their Government until the latter
ditches its subservience to Turkey in denying the truth.
Nora Vosbigian
London
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Armenian Community (UK) is an occassional publication on
British-Armenian affairs.