The Swedish parliament labels, against the advice of the government, the massacres of Armenians during World War I as genocide – immediately sparking a diplomatic row.

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The Swedish parliament on Thursday recognised the massacres of Armenians during World War I as genocide, immediately sparking a diplomatic row with Turkey.

Its resolution, which the government had opposed, "signifies that Sweden recognises the 1915 genocide of Armenians" and other ethnic groups during the breakup of the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey quickly denounced the vote, cancelled a visit to Stockholm by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled for next week, and recalled its ambassador from Stockholm for consultations.

"We strongly condemn this decision. Our people and our government reject this decision based upon major errors and without foundation," said a statement from Erdogan's office.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed during World War I by their Ottoman rulers in a planned campaign of extermination as the empire was falling apart, a stance that is supported by several other countries.

Turkey rejects the genocide label. It argues that between 300,000 and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks were killed in civil strife when Armenians rose up for independence and sided with invading Russian forces.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt immediately announced that the position of his government, which supports Turkey's entry into the European Union, "remains unchanged".

"We think it is a mistake to politicise history," Bildt wrote on his blog from Copenhagen, where he was attending a meeting of Nordic foreign ministers.

"Unfortunately the decision of the parliament will not facilitate the process of normalisation between Turkey and Armenia, nor the work of a commission which should investigate the events of 1915," he added.

The adoption of the resolution came as a surprise after four members of the conservative majority rebelled to support the opposition resolution, which passed by one vote.

A US Congress panel branded the World War I massacre of Armenians as genocide earlier this month, sparking a diplomatic row with Turkey, which recalled its ambassador from Washington.

Last Updated (Thursday, 11 March 2010 21:13)

 

Comments 

 
#7 2010-03-12 19:26
Tarik, I know that you are searching for direct evidence of "intent". But as a lawyer, I can tell you that "intent" can be proven in many different ways. You don't need a video-taped confession to prove intent. When you force women, kids, and elderly from all of Anatolia (East and West) on foot with no food, water, shelter to the desert, then any reasonable person will expect certain death. The leaders knew these people would die, and they did die. The intent is there.
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#6 2010-03-12 19:06
John ,

Thank you for your kind approach on the issue.I just want to note for the records that we did not say 'nothing happened' we think that it is just not a 'genocide'.It was (civil ) war conditions. Anyway ,this is not the place to find a solution for the disaggrement. As the world could not find a reconciliation since 1915.
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#5 2010-03-12 18:43
Tarik,

For your information, I am from Turkey, and I grew up with the "Turkish" point of view. I speak Turkish better than I speak Armenian. And I love all of the Turkish people I ever met. It's nothing against you. But I can't ignore what almost every historian says is the fact. I also can't ignore that there are no Armenians left in Anatolia, which is the historic homeland of the Armenian people. People don't just disappear from their centuries old homeland in 3 years.
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#4 2010-03-12 18:39
Veronika, they have already been blaming everyone but themselves for decades. Since WWI, Turkey has had the mentality that it is "us against the world". And to be quite honest, some of the important countries, like the U.S., UK, and Israel, use the Armenian Genocide as a political tool against Turkey. It is very upsetting to both Turks and Armenians that this is the case. But we Armenians are happy that Sweden did not do that.
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#3 2010-03-12 18:35
Dear John and Veronika.
I will not try to explain the whole story from Turkish point of view.Because you will probably will not belive in me. But i just wondered that did you or other 'genocide' supporters ever try to get the issue by other point ov view. I am quite sure that if i were an Armanian. I would believe in this story. Please do not judge by one sided information.
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#2 2010-03-12 17:43
This is a very timely remark, John. Thanks for that.
I wonder whether they are going to blame the whole world for their own problems... And the problem at its simplest is denial, which is against humanity in general as the crime itself.
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#1 2010-03-11 22:38
At this rate, Turkey is not going to have any ambassadors left anywhere in the world. Who would have ever guessed what a bad career move it was to become a Turkish ambassador. How are these guys ever going to get other jobs? I can't imagine there are too many jobs in the world with "expert in genocide-denial" in the job description. I feel bad for them. Maybe they'll get a job with the Ahmedinejad administration in Iran.
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