Merkel’s Shameful Escape and Indirect Acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide: How Genocide Bill was Approved in Bundestag

“The bill approved in Bundestag was weak, indirect, however, it presupposed acknowledgment of the fact of the Armenian Genocide by members of Bundestag,” Zhirayr Kocharyan, member of the working group on the Armenian Genocide recognition in Germany, professor at the Free University of Berlin, told 168.am.

Touching upon the opinions, that such a resolution had better not exist, than in such a form, when for the purpose to avoid multiple use of the term “genocide,” words “massacres,” “forced emigration” were used, when the issue of Genocide is being so cheapened, responsibility from Turkey is being eliminated, he said that the resolution consisted of three pages, two of which was their grounding, where the phenomena of “genocide” was cited four times. “However, in some parts it wasn’t used at all. Only in one part it was mentioned that all historians, intellectuals and Bundestag MPs accept that it’s Genocide, however, it’s not mentioned what disposition Germany has in this regard. Everything was mentioned indirectly, however, specialists claim as the term was used four times, it means, genocide is being approved by this resolution. What is shameful, Merkel escaped and wasn’t present, head of the party, who is Merkel’s Deputy, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was against Genocide, left for Latin America, i.e. they didn’t give way to Turkey’s oppressions, however, Bundestag did what it promised, and that indirect pressure was recorded. One may say, that Germany was classified to the countries, which recognized the Armenian Genocide,” Zhirayr Kocharyan said, continuing also to claim that this doesn’t bring much glory to Germany, as the latter is not a neutral country regarding Genocide, moreover, it’s a participant and an accomplice of genocides in the period of 1884-1923.

However, according to Zhirayr Kocharyan, this was a good slap first and foremost to Erdogan, Turkey, pro-Turkish Germans and nationalist Turks. “We should take into consideration that 4 million Turks live in Germany and last Friday they protested before Bundestag, calling not to approve the resolution. This is a rather considerable presence, however, the resolution was approved indirectly,” Kocharyan said.

Note, today the German Bundestag adopted the Armenian Genocide recognition resolution, which is entitled “Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916”. Only one MP voted against the adoption, and one abstained. Speakers were unanimously stressing the need of facing the past, also for contributing the reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. The Bundestag voiced the crime of the Ottoman Turkey, and stressed this step is neither an accusation nor a claim, but a tribute to the memory of the victims. “Facing the past can be painful for us, however in the same time it can be an honest and self-critical approach towards our own past. It is important in the context of building relations with other states, which needs courage, for achieving mutual understanding and reconciliation”, Bundestag President N. Lammert said.

By Araks Martirosyan