The Austrian Parliament has recognised the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians, Syriacs and Pontus Greeks and condemned it. Austria is the 6th country to recognise the 1915 Syriac genocide, called “Seyfo”.

Previously, the Syriac genocide has been recognized by Sweden, Armenia, Netherlands, the Vatican and the Czech Republic, while the Armenian genocide has been recognised by around 20 countries.

Following a long discussion in a special session of parliament, the 6 parliamentary groups agreed to recognize and condemn the genocide.

The statement issued on behalf of the Austrian Parliament stressed that the recognition of the genocide against the Christian communities was a responsibility and a duty of Austria, and said: “We strongly condemn these inhuman crimes committed by the Ottoman Empire”. The statement also urged Turkey to abandon its denial of the genocide that claimed the lives of millions of Christians and caused hundreds of thousands to flee from their homelands.