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Dagens Nyheter, Sweden
March 14 2013
SDP Will Recognize Turkish Genocide of Armenians
Swedish party vows to recognize Ottoman massacres as genocide upon election
by Mats J. Larsson
In spite of strong opposition from Turkey, any future SDP government
will recognize the mass murder of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic
Greeks almost 100 years ago as genocide. Urban Ahlin, the party's
foreign-policy spokesman, gives that message to DN.
"We take the view that the present government must obey the decision
that already exists. If it does not, a future SDP government will make
the decision after the usual preparation," Ahlin writes in a text
message to DN.
Yesterday Turkish President Abdullah Gul Enhanced Coverage
LinkingAbdullah Gul -Search using:Biographies Plus NewsNews, Most
Recent 60 Daysconcluded the country's first state visit to Sweden. In
a speech at the Riksdag [parliament], in spite of strong criticism, he
painted a positive picture of the conditions for the country's
minorities, an important question for its ambition to become a member
of the EU.
"We are working intensely in order further to improve the conditions
for Assyrians/Syrians in Turkey," Gul declared with a clear address to
approximately 50,000 people in the population group who live in
Sweden.
In the speech, he refrained from taking up his criticism of the
controversial Riksdag resolution from 2010 to recognize the mass
murder of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks in 1915-1917 as
genocide. Instead he was content to mark his dissatisfaction 11 March
in front of a smaller group of Riksdag members when he visited Speaker
Per Westerberg. Gul said then that Turkey took the view that experts,
not politicians, should deal with such questions.
In Mynttorget [Stockholm square] some 100 Assyrians protested
yesterday, dissatisfied that the nonsocialist government had not
complied with the Riksdag resolution - but the government is divided;
the Liberal Party and the Christian Democrats want to give
recognition, while the Moderate Party with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
at its head is a firm opponent.
[Sidebar]
Background
Diplomatic Crisis
When, in 2010, the Riksdag's then Red-Green opposition, together with
four nonsocialist members, voted through an acknowledgment of the
Armenian genocide, a diplomatic crisis arose between Sweden and
Turkey. Turkey recalled its ambassador and an official visit by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was cancelled.
Researchers claim that between 800,000 and 1 million Armenians died
under the Ottoman Empire, most of them in 1915. A large number of
Assyrians and Pontic Greeks were also killed.
[Translated from Swedish]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
March 14 2013
SDP Will Recognize Turkish Genocide of Armenians
Swedish party vows to recognize Ottoman massacres as genocide upon election
by Mats J. Larsson
In spite of strong opposition from Turkey, any future SDP government
will recognize the mass murder of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic
Greeks almost 100 years ago as genocide. Urban Ahlin, the party's
foreign-policy spokesman, gives that message to DN.
"We take the view that the present government must obey the decision
that already exists. If it does not, a future SDP government will make
the decision after the usual preparation," Ahlin writes in a text
message to DN.
Yesterday Turkish President Abdullah Gul Enhanced Coverage
LinkingAbdullah Gul -Search using:Biographies Plus NewsNews, Most
Recent 60 Daysconcluded the country's first state visit to Sweden. In
a speech at the Riksdag [parliament], in spite of strong criticism, he
painted a positive picture of the conditions for the country's
minorities, an important question for its ambition to become a member
of the EU.
"We are working intensely in order further to improve the conditions
for Assyrians/Syrians in Turkey," Gul declared with a clear address to
approximately 50,000 people in the population group who live in
Sweden.
In the speech, he refrained from taking up his criticism of the
controversial Riksdag resolution from 2010 to recognize the mass
murder of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks in 1915-1917 as
genocide. Instead he was content to mark his dissatisfaction 11 March
in front of a smaller group of Riksdag members when he visited Speaker
Per Westerberg. Gul said then that Turkey took the view that experts,
not politicians, should deal with such questions.
In Mynttorget [Stockholm square] some 100 Assyrians protested
yesterday, dissatisfied that the nonsocialist government had not
complied with the Riksdag resolution - but the government is divided;
the Liberal Party and the Christian Democrats want to give
recognition, while the Moderate Party with Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
at its head is a firm opponent.
[Sidebar]
Background
Diplomatic Crisis
When, in 2010, the Riksdag's then Red-Green opposition, together with
four nonsocialist members, voted through an acknowledgment of the
Armenian genocide, a diplomatic crisis arose between Sweden and
Turkey. Turkey recalled its ambassador and an official visit by Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was cancelled.
Researchers claim that between 800,000 and 1 million Armenians died
under the Ottoman Empire, most of them in 1915. A large number of
Assyrians and Pontic Greeks were also killed.
[Translated from Swedish]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress