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Turkey Recalls Ambassador In Sweden Protesting Armenian 'Genocide' R

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  • Turkey Recalls Ambassador In Sweden Protesting Armenian 'Genocide' R

    TURKEY RECALLS AMBASSADOR IN SWEDEN PROTESTING ARMENIAN 'GENOCIDE' RESOLUTION

    RTTNews.com
    http://www.rttnews.com/Con tent/GeneralNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=1238872
    March 12 2010

    (RTTNews) - Swedish Parliament's passage of a resolution describing
    as "genocide" the killings of Armenians by Turkish forces during
    World War I evoked strong reaction from Turkey, which recalled its
    Ambassador to Stockholm.

    Turkey had recalled its Ambassador to Washington last week responding
    to a similar resolution passed by the U.S. Congressional Committee.

    Incidentally, both the resolutions were passed by one vote, overcoming
    opposition by the governments of Sweden and the United States.

    The Opposition-sponsored resolution was passed Thursday after several
    members of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's ruling center-right
    coalition crossed floor.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has canceled next week's
    visit to Sweden in protest, saying that his country had been accused
    of a crime it did not commit.

    In a statement rejecting the Parliament vote on Friday, Erdogan
    accused Stockholm of trying to take political mileage ahead of the
    general elections due in September this year.

    He added that it puts "the close friendship of our two nations"
    at stake.

    Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the vote was a "mistake"
    but that it did not change the position of his government, which
    supports Turkey's entry into the European Union.

    Armenians contend that up to 1.5 million of their people were
    systematically killed by the Ottoman Turks during World War I.

    More than 20 countries have recognized the killings as 'genocide.'

    Turkey, a key American ally and fellow NATO member, has long denied
    the genocide claim, saying the number of Armenians killed is much
    lower and that they were victims in the chaotic collapse of the
    Ottoman empire, prior to the birth of modern Turkey in 1923.
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