Turkish Press
June 17 2005

Press Review

GERMAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN MASSACRE

The German Parliament yesterday adopted a resolution denouncing the
so-called massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenians during the Ottoman
Empire era. The Bundestag unanimously called for the “sincere
reappraisal” of what happened in the final days of the Ottoman
Empire, and adopted a joint motion by all parliamentary groups to
recognize the incidents. The resolution charged that the Turkish
government had neglected to address the issue and called on the
German government to ensure that the Turkish Parliament, government,
and society reappraise their role towards the Armenian people without
prejudice. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul denounced the resolution as “irresponsible, appalling
and injurious.” “We note this decision with regret and we strongly
condemn it,” said a Foreign Ministry statement. “The text is biased,
contains serious errors and misinformation, and its approval will
deeply wound the Turkish people.” The statement also added that
Turkey “has opened up its archives to all researchers, including
Germans and Armenians, on the premise that historical events can only
be assessed by historians, not by parliaments.” /All Papers/