Ruben Melkonyan says likelihood of adoption of Armenian genocide resolution by German Bundestag is low
01.06.2016,
14:24
The likelihood that the German Bundestag will adopt the Armenian Genocide resolution on June 2 is low, according to Armenian expert in Turkish affairs Ruben Melkonyan.
YEREVAN, June 1. / ARKA /. The likelihood that the German Bundestag will adopt the Armenian Genocide resolution on June 2 is low, according to Armenian expert in Turkish affairs Ruben Melkonyan.
German MPs are expected to approve a resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces “genocide”, a description that Turkey strongly rejects.
The vote had been scheduled to take place more than a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel’s allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara.
"Bundestag is composed of about 600 MPs, and the adoption of the resolution depends on a number of factors. I am not very optimistic about the possible adoption of the resolution by the Bundestag. The fact is that the real political interests often collide with moral problems. As a matter of fact this is an axiomatic reality," Melkonyan said on Wednesday during a press conference
"German-Turkish relations are deep enough and a possible adoption of the resolution may significantly damage them,' Melkonyan said.
"I think this resolution will be used as a straitjacket in EU’s negotiations with Turkey. If we take into account the fact that Germany is in talks with Turkey on behalf of the EU, then we can say that the resolution is a message of the EU to Turkey. Unfortunately, the Armenian Genocide issue is again becoming a subject of international political bargaining, "said Melkonyan.
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----
German MPs are expected to approve a resolution on Thursday that labels the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces “genocide”, a description that Turkey strongly rejects.
The vote had been scheduled to take place more than a year ago, on the 100th anniversary of the massacre, but Merkel’s allies in parliament pushed it back repeatedly out of concern that it could hurt relations with Ankara.
"Bundestag is composed of about 600 MPs, and the adoption of the resolution depends on a number of factors. I am not very optimistic about the possible adoption of the resolution by the Bundestag. The fact is that the real political interests often collide with moral problems. As a matter of fact this is an axiomatic reality," Melkonyan said on Wednesday during a press conference
"German-Turkish relations are deep enough and a possible adoption of the resolution may significantly damage them,' Melkonyan said.
"I think this resolution will be used as a straitjacket in EU’s negotiations with Turkey. If we take into account the fact that Germany is in talks with Turkey on behalf of the EU, then we can say that the resolution is a message of the EU to Turkey. Unfortunately, the Armenian Genocide issue is again becoming a subject of international political bargaining, "said Melkonyan.
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----
