‘Turkish Influence’ on Armenian Parliament: Genocide Bill Rejected

The National Assembly of Armenia on Monday rejected a bill condemning the genocide of Pontic Greeks, Assyrians and other nations of the Ottoman Empire. Only 17 lawmakers voted in favor of the bill, while members of the ruling coalition faction abstained from voting.

Stepan (Styopa) Safaryan, a lawmaker with the opposition Heritage Party which authored the bill, was surprised at how a nation of genocide survivor can vote against the genocides of other nations. Armenians are morally bound to respect the memory of victims of other genocides, Heritage Party lawmakers insisted.

In parliamentary speaker Samvel Nikoyan’s opinion, the world’s powerful countries, first of all, take into consideration national state interest. In response, Heritage Party MP Armen Martirosyan said the world’s powerful countries didn’t experience genocide and that Nikoyan’s response was not justified.

Galust Sahakyan, head of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) parliamentary faction, pointing out that there is no political necessity to adopt the draft law, proposed that the matter be discussed with national minorities in Armenia before being put to a vote. HHK members called the initiative meaningless, noting that Armenia views genocide of the peoples of the Ottoman Empire as a whole and condemns them together with the Armenian Genocide.

Another Heritage Party lawmaker, Zaruhi Postanjyan, mentioned that she has the impression that the Turkish government has affected HHK and it is the Turkish government’s influence that is preventing the National Assembly of Armenia from adopting the bill.

“It is quite regretful that continuing today in this National Assembly is the successor to the Ottoman Empire Republic of Turkey’s policies, as a result of which the disgraceful Armenia-Turkey Protocols are on the agenda of this parliament, and moreover, a bill that condemns the genocide of other nations (the Greeks, Assyrians, Yezidi) in the Ottoman Empire is rejected. Such behavior is not appropriate for the Armenian people,” she said.

Parliamentary vice-chair Eduard Sharmazanov said his colleagues’ speeches are “more like a formality” and are “devoid of content.”

“From 1915–1920, a genocide of Christian nations took place in the Ottoman Empire. And the whole world accepts this genocide as a single entity; that is, the Armenian Genocide. Moreover, the Republic of Armenia has recognized the Armenian Genocide through its Constitutional norms, its declaration of independence and in its Constitution.

“Last year, the HHK, with the efforts of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Dashnaktsutyun] faction leader Vahan Hovhannisyan and our coalition partners, met with members of the relevant communities [of national minorities]. This was followed by the parliamentary speaker’s official message to all the parliaments of the world, calling for the international recognition of the genocide of Christian nations. We are steadfast in this issue, and I don’t understand what law you’re introducing, what you’re doing and who you’re doing it for. The Armenian Genocide cannot be separated from the genocide of other nations. And let no one think that his heart aches more than mine,” said Sharmazanov, who, for the record, has Greek roots.