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Xinhua General News Service
March 12, 2010 Friday 7:10 AM EST
Turkey uneasy over Swedish parliament's approval of Armenian genocide
resolution
ANKARA March 12
Turkish Foreign Ministry Friday conveyed Turkey's uneasiness to
Swedish Ambassador in Ankara Christer Asp after the Swedish parliament
passed an Armenian genocide resolution, the semi-official Anatolia
news agency reported.
The ministry strongly condemned the decision and asked Sweden to take
serious steps which would compensate this decision, according to the
report.
Sweden's parliament on Thursday passed a resolution recognizing the
killing of Armenians and many other ethnic groups in 1915 as genocide.
The 349-seat parliament passed the resolution with a narrow majority,
with 131 yes, 130 no and 88 abstention, according to the Swedish news
agency TT.
The ministry officials told Asp that the decision might seriously harm
the relations between Turkey and Sweden which had been developing in
the recent period, said the Anatolia report.
The Swedish ambassador was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry
early Friday after the Swedish parliament's resolution.
Asp told reporters that he explained the Swedish government's stance
on the issue to Turkish officials during his talks at the ministry.
Asp noted the Swedish parliament's decision was not binding for the
government, adding that the decision would certainly not affect his
country's support to Turkey's EU bid.
On March 4, Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador to the United
States after a U.S. congressional panel approved a resolution labeling
the incidents of 1915 as "genocide."
Turkey and Armenia have been bogged down in the row over the deaths of
Armenians, and have no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia
declared its independence in 1991.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols last October to normalize
relations, however, the parliaments of the two countries have not yet
passed them.
March 12, 2010 Friday 7:10 AM EST
Turkey uneasy over Swedish parliament's approval of Armenian genocide
resolution
ANKARA March 12
Turkish Foreign Ministry Friday conveyed Turkey's uneasiness to
Swedish Ambassador in Ankara Christer Asp after the Swedish parliament
passed an Armenian genocide resolution, the semi-official Anatolia
news agency reported.
The ministry strongly condemned the decision and asked Sweden to take
serious steps which would compensate this decision, according to the
report.
Sweden's parliament on Thursday passed a resolution recognizing the
killing of Armenians and many other ethnic groups in 1915 as genocide.
The 349-seat parliament passed the resolution with a narrow majority,
with 131 yes, 130 no and 88 abstention, according to the Swedish news
agency TT.
The ministry officials told Asp that the decision might seriously harm
the relations between Turkey and Sweden which had been developing in
the recent period, said the Anatolia report.
The Swedish ambassador was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry
early Friday after the Swedish parliament's resolution.
Asp told reporters that he explained the Swedish government's stance
on the issue to Turkish officials during his talks at the ministry.
Asp noted the Swedish parliament's decision was not binding for the
government, adding that the decision would certainly not affect his
country's support to Turkey's EU bid.
On March 4, Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador to the United
States after a U.S. congressional panel approved a resolution labeling
the incidents of 1915 as "genocide."
Turkey and Armenia have been bogged down in the row over the deaths of
Armenians, and have no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia
declared its independence in 1991.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols last October to normalize
relations, however, the parliaments of the two countries have not yet
passed them.