Latvia has finally officially recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide (text of declaration below). 58 of 100 members of Saeima voted for the recognition. Tigran Mkrtchyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary · ‎Embassy of Armenia to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia wrote on his Facebook page

“What was difficult to imagine a few years ago, today became a reality. This is the result of indefatigable efforts of recent years, where almost the entire arsenal of diplomacy was exerted – intensive political dialogue, parliamentary diplomacy, cultural diplomacy (which was the most visible, but also extremely important), Armenian-Latvian community and Riga’s Armenian Apostolic Church’s involvement (which was the longest-lasting and most persistent).

The entirety of all this, plus some amendments in the emphases of our work during the recent years led to this result.

Already on 24th April, 2020, two political forces of the Latvian Saeima, which are also members of the ruling coalition- the parties of “New Conservative” and “Development/For!” had made statements acknowledging and condemning the Armenian genocide. Representatives of these forces, as well as “Harmony” party since February, 2021 initiated the process of the recognition of the Armenian genocide, as a result of which a first draft declaration was introduced to the Saeima on April 23. On April 29th the initial version of the declaration was postponed for a week with amendment proposals. Another version of a declaration was tabled by the Foreign Affairs Committee, around which an intensive debate ensued and on which there has been active parallel work (by the Committee) going on for more than two months now.

I would like to specially thank the Deputy Speaker of the Latvian Saeima Dagmāra Beitnere-Le Galla, the Chairman of the New Conservative political faction in Saeima, Juris Jurašs; the Secretary of Saeima, great friend of the Armenian people Andrejs Klementjevs; Chair of the “Development/For” political faction in Saeima, Chairperson of the parliamentary friendship group with Armenia, deputy secretary of Saeima Marija Golubeva. I am grateful to Rihards Kols, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Saeima, as well as currently deputy chairman of the Committee and formerly head of the Committee, Ojars Eriks Kalnins, for gradually, but fundamentally approaching this matter and together with other friends of ours ultimately finding a solution to it.

I am bowing to of all political forces of the Latvian Saeima and parliamentarians who voted for the recognition of the Armenian genocide, a matter of utmost importance for my people- the Armenians.

DECLARATION ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PERPETRATED DURING THE TIME OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE

By the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia.

The Saeima of the Republic of Latvia:

noting that it is important to commemorate the lost lives of those people who perished in the Armenian genocide organized by the Ottoman Empire authorities – in mass murders and forced deportations which began on April 24, 1915 with the arrests of intellectuals and activists of the Armenian community in the former Constantinople;

taking into account the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the UN and the resolution of the European Parliament of June 18, 1987 which states that these events are genocide according to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide;

emphasizing, that Latvia condemns all crimes against humanity and Latvia is aware of its duty to recognize and remember these crimes in order to prevent their repetition;

recognizing, that as a result of the actions of the Ottoman authorities a large number of Armenian population was forcefully deported to other regions of the empire which resulted in loss of numerous human lives due to hunger, atrocities and murders;

condemns the crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people, murders and forced deportations;

honours the memory of all victims of the Armenian genocide and pays its respects to the survivors;

maintains, that open and free discussions about historical questions are inseparably connected with the development of a healthy and mature democracy;

appeals to the international community to evaluate these historical events and look into a future which we want to build free of violence and intolerance – a future where the human rights are respected and every individual can be free, safe and secure,” he wrote.