CANADIAN PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
WebPosted Wed Apr 21 22:39:42 2004

OTTAWA--- The House of Commons has reversed a long-standing policy and
passed a resolution denouncing the Turks for committing genocide against
Armenians in 1915.

The vote passed easily, 153-68.

The motion said: "That this House acknowledges the Armenian genocide of
1915 and condemns this act as a crime against humanity."

Armenian Canadians hold a vigil after the vote

For decades consecutive Canadian governments have dodged the
sensitive issue by calling what happened in eastern Turkey a
"tragedy," stopping well short of referring to the events as
"genocide."

In 1915, during the First World War, Turkish troops put down an
Armenian uprising. Armenians say about 1.5 million people were
killed by the Ottoman Turks, during a brutal eight year campaign.

Turkey has always fought attempts by Armenians and international
human rights organizations to have the events declared a
genocide. Previously, Ankara has warned countries contemplating
similar action that there would be negative consequences. In some
cases business contracts have been held up or denied.

In 2001 France backed the Armenian case. Ankara responded by
freezing official visits to France and temporarily blocking
French companies from competing for defence contracts.

The U.S. dropped a similar resolution a year earlier after the
White House warned it could hurt U.S. security interests.

Before Wednesday's vote in Parliament, Foreign Affairs Minister Bill
Graham issued a statement saying "Canada has had friendly and co-
operative relations with Turkey and Armenia for many years. The
Canadian government is committed to make these relationships even
stronger in the future."

The Turkish Embassy in Ottawa says it is drafting a response.

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