German Bundestag recognizes Armenian genocide
02.06.2016,
15:26
German lawmakers passed overwhelmingly a resolution on Thursday, June 2, recognizing the World War I massacre of Armenians by the government of the Ottoman Empire as genocide, defying Turkey's warnings that the vote could hurt ties.
YEREVAN, June 2. /ARKA/. German lawmakers passed overwhelmingly a resolution on Thursday, June 2, recognizing the World War I massacre of Armenians by the government of the Ottoman Empire as genocide, defying Turkey's warnings that the vote could hurt ties.
Only one MP voted against and another abstained, as parliament approved the resolution overwhelmingly by a show of hands.
Put forward by the ruling left-right coalition and the opposition Greens, the resolution entitled "Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916" also carries the word ‘genocide’ throughout the text.
In direct reference to the atrocities against the Armenians, the resolution says: "Their fate exemplifies the mass exterminations, the ethnic cleansing, the expulsions and indeed the genocides that marked the 20th century in such a terrible way."
It also states that the "German Empire bears partial responsibility for the events," a point that German President Joachim Gauck also made last year during commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the killings.
Germany was then allied with the Ottomans, and deployed soldiers who participated in the deportations of Armenians, said Gauck.
The leader of the Green Party Cem Özdemir, one of the MPs behind the initiative said the resolution is very likely to cause problems in relations with Turkey, ‘however, the Bundestag will not allow a despot like Erdogan to blackmail itself.’
"The documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the mass killings of Armenians speak for themselves and after our resolution it will be much more difficult for Turkey to deny the Armenian Genocide," said Ozdemir.
In 2015 Armenia marked the 100 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the twentieth century. According to Armenian and many other historians, up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed starting in 1915 in a systematic campaign by the government of Turkey. Turkey has been denying it for decades.
The Armenian genocide was recognized by tens of countries. The first was Uruguay that did so in 1965. Other nations are Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, 43 U.S. states.
It was recognized also by the Vatican, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations. ---0----
Only one MP voted against and another abstained, as parliament approved the resolution overwhelmingly by a show of hands.
Put forward by the ruling left-right coalition and the opposition Greens, the resolution entitled "Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916" also carries the word ‘genocide’ throughout the text.
In direct reference to the atrocities against the Armenians, the resolution says: "Their fate exemplifies the mass exterminations, the ethnic cleansing, the expulsions and indeed the genocides that marked the 20th century in such a terrible way."
It also states that the "German Empire bears partial responsibility for the events," a point that German President Joachim Gauck also made last year during commemorations of the 100th anniversary of the killings.
Germany was then allied with the Ottomans, and deployed soldiers who participated in the deportations of Armenians, said Gauck.
The leader of the Green Party Cem Özdemir, one of the MPs behind the initiative said the resolution is very likely to cause problems in relations with Turkey, ‘however, the Bundestag will not allow a despot like Erdogan to blackmail itself.’
"The documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the mass killings of Armenians speak for themselves and after our resolution it will be much more difficult for Turkey to deny the Armenian Genocide," said Ozdemir.
In 2015 Armenia marked the 100 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the twentieth century. According to Armenian and many other historians, up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed starting in 1915 in a systematic campaign by the government of Turkey. Turkey has been denying it for decades.
The Armenian genocide was recognized by tens of countries. The first was Uruguay that did so in 1965. Other nations are Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, 43 U.S. states.
It was recognized also by the Vatican, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations. ---0----
