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The European Movement International (EMI), a pan-European organisation promoting European integration, has adopted by unanimity a resolution on the Armenian Genocide during its Federal Assembly taking place in Riga on 24-25 April, the press service of the European Friends of Armenia reports.

With the adoption of this text, the European Movement is "joining its voice to over twenty states, a number of international organisations and institutions including the European Parliament (in 1987 and in 2015), the Council of Europe (in 2001), and EURONEST PA (in 2015) which have already recognised the Armenian Genocide."

European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) was one of the co-authors of the resolution, along with the Armenian chapter of the EMI. EuFoA Director, Mr Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa, comments: "The European Movement is an important European organisation with a magnificent history of almost 70 years of existence. We are very grateful that this organisation that has always been in the avant-garde of the European values and the EU construction has added its voice to so many others commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide during this special year."

In the resolution, the European Movement "condemns all forms of crimes against humanity and genocide and deeply deplores attempts of their denial" and "hopes that recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey will intertwine the historical reconciliation between the Armenian and Turkish peoples."

Mr Viktor Yengibaryan, president of European Movement - Armenia, adds: "The recognition of Armenian Genocide by the European Movement should contribute to security in the region and Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. For the European Movement in Armenia it is an honour and duty to be a part of this process."

The European Movement International is a pan-European organisation founded in 1948, with its Secretariat currently based in Brussels. It is composed of 33 national chapters in most European countries, as well as 22 international associations. Among them are European political parties (including three biggest pan-European parties) and youth organisations (including Young European Federalists - JEF and European Students' Forum - AEGEE). Its main goal is to spread European values and a further EU integration. EuFoA is an associated member of the EMI since 2014.

Many prominent European political figures are part of the European Movement: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was one of its Honorary Presidents and French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing one of its Presidents.

Some of the biggest achievements of the EMI include the creation of the Council of Europe and the prestigious university College of Europe.