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Turkey angered by German resolution on Armenian massacres
Agence France Presse -- English
June 16, 2005 Thursday 3:16 PM GMT
ANKARA June 16 -- Turkey on Thursday strongly condemned a German
parliament resolution marking the killings of Armenians during World
War I and warned that the move would have consequences for bilateral
ties between the two allies.
"We regret and strongly condemn the resolution," the Turkish foreign
ministry said in a statement.
"We are saddened to see the German parliament fail to listen to
Turkey's warnings that the resolution would deeply hurt the Turkish
people and have a negative impact on bilateral ties," it added.
The resolution passed by the Bundestag lower house earlier Thursday
marked the massacres of Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century
but stopped short of condemning it as genocide.
It calls on the German government "to help Turks and Armenians resolve
differences between them by reviewing, reconciling and forgiving
historical guilt".
The Turkish statement argued domestic political concerns played a
part in the resolution and charged that it was "irresponsible and
narrow-minded to use such a sensitive subject for petty political
calculations".
Earlier Thursday, a diplomat from the German embassy in Ankara was
summoned to the foreign ministry.
The Armenian massacres of World War I are one of the most controversial
episodes in Turkish history.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in orchestrated
killings during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks were
killed in what was civil strife during World War I when the Armenians,
backed by Russia, rose against their Ottoman rulers.
The issue has taken on increased importance as some European politicans
have pressed Turkey to address the genocide claims in what Ankara
sees a politically-motivated campaign to impede its bid to become a
mamber of the European Union.
Agence France Presse -- English
June 16, 2005 Thursday 3:16 PM GMT
ANKARA June 16 -- Turkey on Thursday strongly condemned a German
parliament resolution marking the killings of Armenians during World
War I and warned that the move would have consequences for bilateral
ties between the two allies.
"We regret and strongly condemn the resolution," the Turkish foreign
ministry said in a statement.
"We are saddened to see the German parliament fail to listen to
Turkey's warnings that the resolution would deeply hurt the Turkish
people and have a negative impact on bilateral ties," it added.
The resolution passed by the Bundestag lower house earlier Thursday
marked the massacres of Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century
but stopped short of condemning it as genocide.
It calls on the German government "to help Turks and Armenians resolve
differences between them by reviewing, reconciling and forgiving
historical guilt".
The Turkish statement argued domestic political concerns played a
part in the resolution and charged that it was "irresponsible and
narrow-minded to use such a sensitive subject for petty political
calculations".
Earlier Thursday, a diplomat from the German embassy in Ankara was
summoned to the foreign ministry.
The Armenian massacres of World War I are one of the most controversial
episodes in Turkish history.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kinsmen died in orchestrated
killings during the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks were
killed in what was civil strife during World War I when the Armenians,
backed by Russia, rose against their Ottoman rulers.
The issue has taken on increased importance as some European politicans
have pressed Turkey to address the genocide claims in what Ankara
sees a politically-motivated campaign to impede its bid to become a
mamber of the European Union.