The Star Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
April 23, 2004 Friday Final Edition
Turkey protests Armenian genocide vote
ANKARA, Turkey
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey on Thursday condemned a decision by
Canadian legislators to recognize as genocide the mass killing of
Armenians during the First World War, accusing Canadian politicians
of being “narrow minded.”
Canada’s Parliament on Wednesday backed a resolution condemning the
actions of Ottoman Turkish forces eight decades ago.
Government members were discouraged from voting for the motion, which
was adopted 153-68 in the House of Commons. Prime Minister Paul
Martin was absent during the vote.
Canada is the 16th country to label the killings as genocide, a step
already taken by Switzerland, France, Argentina and Russia, as well
as 11 U.S. state governments.
Armenians say a 1915-1923 campaign to force them out of eastern
Turkey amounted to a genocide and some 1.5 million people were
killed.