November 23, 2007
Source: MercoPress (South Atlantic News Agency) (Uruguay)

The Mercosur parliament adopted this week a resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of South America. The issue is particularly sensitive for the Armenian people and Turkey, the alleged perpetrator.

According to the release from the organization, legislative representatives from the four country members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay condemned the "Armenian Genocide, perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire, which took 1.5 million lives from 1915 to 1923." The Mercosur resolution also expressed its support for the Armenian Cause and called on all countries to recognize the Genocide.

The resolution was introduced by the representatives of Argentina and Uruguay, and after approval by the Human Rights Committee, was passed by the entire Mercosur parliament. Mercosur member states Argentina and Uruguay, which have significant Armenian communities, have already recognized the Genocide, followed this year by another Mercosur associate member, Chile.

According to the Armenian National Committee, the Armenian Genocide was carried out by the "Young Turk" government of the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916 (with subsidiaries to 1922-23). One and a half million Armenians were killed, out of a total of two and a half million Armenians living under Ottoman Empire rule. However official Turkish policy has been, and is denial and rejection of such accusations. A similar resolution recently approved by the Democrat majority US House of Representatives shocked Turkey, a key ally in the Mid East and in the Iraq war effort. Ankara warned Washington that if the resolution was finally passed by Congress, US forces would no longer have access to northern Iraq through Turkey.