Eduard Sharmazanov considers important message call of Chairmen of  Parliament of Cyprus on international recognition of Armenian  Genocide

ArmInfo. The Vice Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov considers important the message call of the Chairmen of Parliament of Cyprus Dimitris  Silluris on the international community to recognize the Armenia  Genocide. 

As he noted in a discussion with ArmInfo correspondent, Cyprus is one  of the European countries not only recognized the genocide but also  criminalized its denial. ?It is an important statement not only in  the context that one of EU state-members calls on to recognize the  Armenian Genocide, but in the context of preventing new crimes  against humanity as well?, noted the politician. 

To note, the Cypriot Parliament?s Chairman Dimitris Silluris called  on the internation community to recognize the Armenian Genocide in  Ottoman Empire. According to him, there was a policy of ethnic  cleansing against Armenians in Ottoman Empire. He stressed that  Turkey continues to deny the Armenian Genocide after a century.  ?Cyprus was among the firsts who recognized and condemned the  Armenian Genocide, in 1990 the Cypriot Parliament unanimously  recognized April 24 as the Day of Remembrance of the Genocide  Victims. The parliament adopted also the law on criminalization of  denial of the Armenian Genocide and crimes against humanity?, he  noted.  

To recall, the first country to recognize that crime against humanity   was Uruguay. Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by 44 United   States as well as by 23 countries, including Canada, Argentina,  Switzerland, Russia, Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia, the   Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus, Vatican, Sweden, Lithuania. Switzerland,   Slovakia and Greece have even passed laws criminalizing denial of the  Armenian Genocide. The Genocide of Armenians was recognized also by   the Council of Europe, European Parliament, the UN Subcommittee to   prevent discrimination and protect minorities, the UN Committee for  Military Crimes, the World Church Council, as well as New South   Wales, San-Paolo, Seara and Parana (Brazil), Wales, Scotland and   Northern Ireland, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Balearic Islands   (Spain), Quebec,  Kyiv, Uzhgorod, Izyum.  Goloseevskiy region   (Ukraine), Crimea. Turkey still denies the genocide of 1.5 million   Armenians in 1915-1923.  Euronest PA and EPP have recognized and   condemned the Genocide of Armenians.