| Author (Person) | Seibert, Thomas |
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| Series Title | EurActiv |
| Series Details | 18.05.16 |
| Publication Date | 18/05/2016 |
| Content Type | News |
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The Bundestag (the lower house of the German parliament) passed a resolution the 2 June 2016 recognising the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-16 as genocide. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed his concerns over the plans to change the terminology used to describe the Armenian massacre. Turkey rejects that the events of 1915 amount to genocide. Deutsche Welle wrote that German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and the leader of the Social Democrats, Sigmar Gabriel, failed to attend the vote on account of other appointments. Critics suggested, however, that they deliberately attempted to dodge a difficult vote. Chancellor Merkel did, however, announce after the passing of the resolution that the Bundestag decision to designate the Ottoman killings of Armenians as genocide did not detract from Germany's 'amicable and strategic' relationship with Turkey. Turkey reacted with anger to the development. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned the motion would 'seriously affect' relations between Germany and Turkey. Some commentators suggested that the German political class felt the need to demonstrate that the need by the EU for Turkey's support in regard of current migration issues did not give Turkey a free hand when it came to democracy and human rights issues. |
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| Source Link | http://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/german-resolution-on-armenian-genocide-expected-to-sour-turkey-relationsip/ |
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| Countries / Regions | Armenia, Germany, Turkey |
