wfn.org | CEC on the occasion of the 90th Anniversary of Armenian

["Ruth Gill" <rag@cec-kek.org>]

Conference of European Churches - Office of  Communications
Press Release No. 05-16/efg				   14 April 2005

STATEMENT OF CEC ON THE OCCASION OF
THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Presidium of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) has issued the
following Public Statement on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian genocide:

"On 24 April 2005 the peoples of Armenia will commemorate the 90th
Anniversary of the Genocide under the Ottoman Empire. At the commemoration
in Armenia, the Conference of European Churches (CEC) will be represented
by its President, Revd Jean-Arnold de Clermont, President of the Federation of Protestant Churches in France.

The Presidium of the Conference of European Churches, meeting in
Västerås (Sweden), 6-10 April 2005, 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. Reviewing one's own history opens the path to forgiveness,
to healing bitter memories and to gaining a common future.

The CEC Presidium joins the World Council of Churches in inviting all its
member churches 'to make April 24 a Day of Memory of the Armenian Genocide
and to consider further appropriate actions related to the 90 years
Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide'. Churches all over the European
continent and beyond can play an important role in offering a platform for
encounter and in supporting projects towards reconciliation.

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. In this regard, the Conference of European Churches welcomes the
announcement of  Prime Minister Erdogan to open Turkish archives. It is
important that Armenian and Turkish as well as independent researchers
have full access to the documentation.

We also urge the Turkish government to establish the conditions which
allow for a free and honest debate in public as well as in educational
institutions about atrocities, deportations and massacres committed
against the Armenian peoples.

Atrocities on the territory of today's Turkey, however, were not only
committed against the Armenian peoples, but also against other Christian
and ethnic minorities.

On 1 October 2005, negotiations will begin between the European Union and
Turkey with the aim of Turkey becoming a member state of the European
Union. As already stated on 3 October 2004  by the Conference of European
Churches, the Copenhagen criteria for accession must be fulfilled and the
accession negotiations need to be accompanied by an honest elaboration of
history, particularly that part of it which concerns the relationship of
Turkey with its neighbouring states and which includes recognition of
wounds and offences inflicted. This is a pre-condition to healing of
memories and to true reconciliation in society, which has not yet been
reached in Turkey. The relationship with the Armenian peoples as well as
with other Christian and ethnic minorities is, in this respect, of special
importance.

The Conference of European Churches will continue to monitor the negotiations between the European Union and the government of Turkey very closely.
The EU is a community of States, which is built on human rights, democracy
and the rule of law and in which values of justice and peace, solidarity
and pluralism, reconciliation and tolerance, freedom of speech and mutual
respect are declared by the documents the EU committed itself to; effort
are underway to make them an integral part of everyday life. The commitment to implementing these values in Turkey, not at least with regard to its
minorities and the relations to its neighbouring countries, will be a
pre-condition for Turkey's accession to the European Union".

* * * *

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125
Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all
countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in
1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.

For information:
CEC Office of Communications
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail Luca.Negro@cec-kek.org