Genocide

YEREVAN - Serbia understands the suffering of the Armenians that began on April 24, 1915 because the people of Serbia were victims of genocide committed against them in World War II, Serbian MP Aleksandar Cotric said during a global panel against the crime of genocide held in Yerevan.

Lawmakers in Bulgaria's Parliament have moved to change the agenda of their vote on Friday, when they are to adopt a stance on the mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

With a number of states describing the events as "genocide" and Turkey disputing this, the Bulgarian legislature was to work on a position.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu has said he has already highlighted that deportation is a crime against humanity, less than a day earlier his former interior minister, Efkan Ala, said that what the Ottoman Empire did to the Armenians a century ago was not "genocide" but deportation. 
 

Simple: They are regional administrations that have recognized the Armenian genocide.

The German government backed away on April 20 from a steadfast refusal to use the term "genocide" to describe the massacre of Ottoman Armenians 100 years ago after rebellious members of parliament forced its hand. 

BELGRADE - Serbia's Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said on Thursday that Kosovo's Foreign Minister Hasim Taci will be arrested if he comes to Belgrade.

"If he appears in Belgrade, the interior ministry will take action in line with the law and bring him to justice," Stefanovic said, replying to reporters' questions at the Palace of Serbia.

Armenia and Turkey should use the centenary of the Armenian genocide to renew diplomatic relations, open the border and pave the way for economic integration, says the European Parliament in a resolution voted on Wednesday. MEPs stress the need for Turkey to recognise the Armenian genocide, so as to pave way for "genuine reconciliation".

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Titus Corlatean, currently honorary adviser to the Prime Minister, on Thursday said that Romania had a "wise attitude" and preferred to encourage the dialogue between Turkey and Armenia concerning the "extremely delicate" topic of "the genocide" against Armenians.

Photocredit: (c) Alex TUDOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

EU Minister Volkan Bozk?r has expressed unease over remarks by Prime Ministerial adviser Etyen Mahçupyan that it was impossible to say that Armenians were not subjected to a genocide in 1915.

Mahçupyan?s description ?was not appropriate for his title of adviser,? Bozk?r said on April 16 during a televised interview.

What happened to the Armenians in 1915, just as the First World War was heating up, is for historians to research and reveal. Much has already been revealed and the general outline of the story is known.

There is clearly more to be researched, though, since no historical narrative is constant and fixed.