HL Deb 30 June 1998 vol 591 cc63-4WA
Baroness Cox

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in view of the recent recognition by the Government of France of the genocide of Armenians in 1915 and in view of the historical records of that genocide available in the United Kingdom, they will also recognise the Armenian genocide. [HL2325]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The British Government condemned the 1915 massacres at the time, and views the sufferings of the Armenian people then as a tragedy of historic proportions. However, in the absence of evidence to show that the Turkish Government took a specific decision to eliminate the Armenians under their control at that time, the British Government have not recognised the events of 1915 as a genocide.

The French Government have not recognised the 1915 massacres as a genocide. The French National Assembly adopted a draft law on 29 May stating that "France recognises publicly the genocide of the Armenians in 1915".