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SWEDISH PM BACKTRACKS ON PLEDGE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
© REUTERS/ David Mdzinarishvili
EUROPE
15:15 23.04.2015Get short URL
1400
The Swedish Prime Minister, who had promised to recognize the 1915
genocide of Armenians which was perpetrated under Ottoman rule prior
to his election last year, has said the subject is under review.
© REUTERS/ DAVID MDZINARISHVILI Turkey Recalls Vienna Ambassador
Amid Armenian Genocide Recognition A pledge made by Swedish Prime
Minister Stefan Lovren while campaigning for office last year that
his government would recognize the killing of Armenians under Ottoman
rule as genocide might go unfulfilled, according to government sources
in Sweden.
A source from the Swedish Foreign Ministry told TT news that the
question is "delicate," and that the decision on whether to acknowledge
the atrocities as genocide is under review, despite the election
pledge. According to TT, a foreign policy declaration released after
the election in October last year made no mention of the issue, and the
Foreign Office has declined to make an official comment on the subject.
Vahagn Avedian, spokesman for the Armenian Associations in Sweden,
called the decision "absurd," and complained, "they say one thing in
opposition, and another in office."
"France has recognized the genocide, and so has Germany recently. Why
wouldn't Sweden do so?" said Avedian, who added that he believed fear
of Turkey's reaction lie behind the decision.
In 2010, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled a visit to
Sweden and recalled the Turkish ambassador after the Swedish parliament
voted narrowly to pass a cross-party motion, "to recognize as an act
of genocide the killing of Armenians, Assyrians/Syriacs/Chaldeans
and Pontic Greeks in 1915." Then Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
said the parliament's move was "a mistake" and not the position of
the government.
In a statement criticizing the vote, Erdogan said, "Our people and
our government reject this decision [which is] based upon major errors
and without foundation."
© AP PHOTO/ BERZA SIMSEK White House Considers Old Approach to Armenian
Genocide 'Right One' On April 24 each year, Armenians observe a day of
remembrance in honor of the victims of a genocide committed against
up to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman army during the
last throes of the Ottoman Empire. This year's remembrance will mark
100 years since the genocide began.
The term genocide is used by more than 20 countries to describe the
killings, including Russia, France and Italy, and the German parliament
is set to use the term in a motion to be passed on Friday.
The Austrian parliament became the latest to do so on Wednesday,
causing furious reaction from Turkey.
Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150423/1021275233.html#ixzz3Y8OKst1Y
© REUTERS/ David Mdzinarishvili
EUROPE
15:15 23.04.2015Get short URL
1400
The Swedish Prime Minister, who had promised to recognize the 1915
genocide of Armenians which was perpetrated under Ottoman rule prior
to his election last year, has said the subject is under review.
© REUTERS/ DAVID MDZINARISHVILI Turkey Recalls Vienna Ambassador
Amid Armenian Genocide Recognition A pledge made by Swedish Prime
Minister Stefan Lovren while campaigning for office last year that
his government would recognize the killing of Armenians under Ottoman
rule as genocide might go unfulfilled, according to government sources
in Sweden.
A source from the Swedish Foreign Ministry told TT news that the
question is "delicate," and that the decision on whether to acknowledge
the atrocities as genocide is under review, despite the election
pledge. According to TT, a foreign policy declaration released after
the election in October last year made no mention of the issue, and the
Foreign Office has declined to make an official comment on the subject.
Vahagn Avedian, spokesman for the Armenian Associations in Sweden,
called the decision "absurd," and complained, "they say one thing in
opposition, and another in office."
"France has recognized the genocide, and so has Germany recently. Why
wouldn't Sweden do so?" said Avedian, who added that he believed fear
of Turkey's reaction lie behind the decision.
In 2010, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled a visit to
Sweden and recalled the Turkish ambassador after the Swedish parliament
voted narrowly to pass a cross-party motion, "to recognize as an act
of genocide the killing of Armenians, Assyrians/Syriacs/Chaldeans
and Pontic Greeks in 1915." Then Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt
said the parliament's move was "a mistake" and not the position of
the government.
In a statement criticizing the vote, Erdogan said, "Our people and
our government reject this decision [which is] based upon major errors
and without foundation."
© AP PHOTO/ BERZA SIMSEK White House Considers Old Approach to Armenian
Genocide 'Right One' On April 24 each year, Armenians observe a day of
remembrance in honor of the victims of a genocide committed against
up to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman army during the
last throes of the Ottoman Empire. This year's remembrance will mark
100 years since the genocide began.
The term genocide is used by more than 20 countries to describe the
killings, including Russia, France and Italy, and the German parliament
is set to use the term in a motion to be passed on Friday.
The Austrian parliament became the latest to do so on Wednesday,
causing furious reaction from Turkey.
Read more:
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150423/1021275233.html#ixzz3Y8OKst1Y