German opposition motion on Armenian massacre upsets Turkey

Die Welt web site, Berlin
22 Apr 05

Excerpt from report by “caf” titled “Row over Armenia: Turkish
ambassador delivers sharp attack”, by German newspaper Die Welt web
site on 22 April

The Turkish ambassador to Germany, Mehmet Ali Irtemcelik, has accused
the parliamentary group of the CDU/ CSU [Christian Democratic/Social
Union] of turning itself “into the mouthpiece of fanatical Armenian
nationalism,” and “poisoning Turkish-German relations”

This sharp attack was prompted by the CDU/ CSU’s motion to the
Bundestag commemorating the 90th anniversary of the massacre of
Armenians, which began on 24 April 1915. The motion calls on the
federal government to press Turkey “to come to terms unconditionally
with its role towards the Armenian people in history and the present
day”.

The term “genocide” was deliberately avoided by the CDU/CSU, so as not
to provoke Turkey, which to this day denies the genocide of 1.5 million
Armenians. Despite this, Ambassador Irtemcelik accused the CDU/CSU
of jeopardizing the integration of Turks in Germany with its motion.

[Passage omitted]

Weeks ago, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul described the
CDU/CSU motion as “a slander of Turkish history”. Greens European
parliamentarian Cem Ozdemir nevertheless expects Turkey to have
recognized that the genocide took place by the time it joins the EU.
He believes there are increasing numbers of Turkish intellectuals who
view their history in more complex terms than a saga of heroic deeds,
and are also willing to face up to its dark chapters.