NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE UK PARLIAMENT RECONGISING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PASSESS 150

Press Release

Armenia Solidarity

British Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group

Nor Serount Publications

Armenian Genocide Trust

c/o The Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales

eilian@nant.wanadoo.co.uk

baappg.bazil@btinternet.com

norseount@btconnect.com

Tel: 07718982732 Int: ++ 44 7718982732

The Number of Members of the UK Parliament recognising the Armenian Genocide passess 150

The majority of non-Conservative eligible Members have now signed the Genocide motion.

Another important milestone on the journey to UK Recognition of the Genocide was passed today.

Glenda Jackson MP became the 150th Member of the UK Parliament to signi Early Day Motion 357, recognising the Truth of the Genocide which our parents, grandparents and other relatives endured during the years of 1915-23.

This motion, put by Bob Spink MP, has put the Armenian Genocide issue at the forefront of international issues on which MPs have shown concern. Including other MPs who have signed the Genocide Motion in previous years but unable to do so this year for parliamentary technical reasons, the total now approaches 200

The majority of MPs who are eligible to sign the motion, and unconstrained by their party, have now done so. Of the 460 MPs who are eligible to sign, 180 are members of the Conservative Party who provide a central,ready-made answer explaining why their members will not sign. Few Conservatives have dared to break with the Party's authority. Of the other 280 MPs of the Labour (the party of government), Liberal Democrat, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales) and smaller parties just over half (143) have signed

That the past governments of the UK in recent years have maintained a position of denial in the face of this obvious and self-evident truth is a blemish on the reputation of this country, which was the first to identify and publicise what happened to the Armenians in 1915 as " New Crimes against Humanity and Civilisation"(the precursor of the modern term Genocide). in the Joint Statement of the Allies in May 1915). Most Armenians in the UK are able to recite their familly stories of persecution, mis-treatment and murder, if the government and the remainder of MPs would care to listen.

To continue with the lobbying, we shall give a copy of the "House of Commons Conference on the Armenian Genocide" published by Nor Serount Cultural Association, to all MPs this week.It includes contributions by historians and other Genocide Scholars. We expect that this will enable all MPs to have more knowledge of the issue, resulting in more signatures in the three weeks left for the motion after the summer recess.

We are confident now that MPs will be encouraged to force a vote on the issue in the House of Commons after the autumn, following this unprecedated support.

We are also hopeful of meeting with several MPs on july 24th, the 84th anniversary of the Lausanne Treaty. Gregory Topalian will address a meeting in the House of Commons on that day on "Britain's Responsibility for the Fate of Western Armenia"