Syrian Parliament to Vote on Resolution Recognizing and Condemning the Armenian Genocide

The Secretary of the Syrian Parliament, Rami Saleh, announced that the parliament is expected to vote today on a resolution recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

According to “Gandzasar,” he assured that the history of the Ottoman Empire is filled with atrocities against various components of the Syrian people, including Armenians, Syriacs, and others.

The agenda of the parliament includes a resolution proposed by the Syrian-Armenian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, affirming the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and the genocide of other components of the Syrian people by Turkish rulers of the Ottoman Empire in the 20th century.

Saleh also told “Watan” that the parliament had previously discussed the issue of the Armenian Genocide, but it was necessary to present a resolution condemning the genocide. For this reason, the resolution is to be discussed and voted on during the parliamentary session today.

Syrian parliament member Dr. Nora Arisyan noted that more than 30 countries' parliaments have recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide. The issue has been raised previously by multiple members of the Syrian Parliament, and in 2015, on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, the parliament held a special session to honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian Ambassador to Syria, Mohammed Haj Ibrahim, emphasized the importance of recognition, stating that the heirs of those who committed the Armenian Genocide are today committing similar crimes against the Syrian people through terrorists. He also mentioned that the recognition is significant, as Lebanon is the only Arab country that has recognized the Armenian Genocide to date.

Butros Marjaneh, the head of the parliament's Committee on Arab and Foreign Affairs, emphasized that the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact, followed by the massacre of Assyrians and Syriacs along Syria’s northern borders. It is time to recognize and condemn these inhumane acts and to prevent their recurrence, especially since many countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

It should be noted that the Syrian Armenian Advocacy Groups and Armenian parliament members have repeatedly submitted comprehensive documents regarding the Armenian Genocide to the Syrian Parliament and the Presidential Palace for discussion, recognition, and condemnation over the years.