Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Jan 28 2008

Denmark does not recognize Armenian historical claims

Monday , 28 January 2008
By Kezban HURI (JTW)

COPENHAGEN – Denmark does not officially recognize that 1915 communal
clashes between Armenians, Turks and Kurds in the Ottoman time
constitute genocide, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said
Thursday.

"In the government’s opinion, this is a historical question that
should be left up to the historians," Moeller said in a written
parliamentary answer.

Moeller’s note came in response to a question from parliamentary
member, Morten Messerchmidt, of the far-right Danish People’s Party,
on whether "Denmark had officially recognized this genocide."

The far-rightist parliamenterian Messerchmidt told the AFP "It is
unfortunate that the Danish government refuses to join other
countries in recognizing this genocide. It is as if they fear
Turkey’s reactions."

Many Armenians and Muslims were killed in the 1915 communal clashes
when the Armenians rioted against the Ottoman State as a support of
the occupying Russian forces during the First World War. More than
520.000 Turkish and Kurdish people were massacred by the armed
Armenian nationalists. Many Jews were also killed by the Tashnak
militants in the Hakkari province. Armenia and some of the Armenian
diaspora groups label the 1915 events as genocide while the Turks
also accuse the Armenians of committing genocide against the Muslims.
Armenia does not recognise Turkey’s national borders and occupies 20
percent of another neighbouring country, Azerbaijan.

28 January 2008