SWEDISH PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Itar-Tass
March 11 2010
Russia

STOCKHOLM, March 11 (Itar-Tass) – Swedish parliament has adopted a
resolution that recognizes the genocide of Armenians, Assyrians and
Pontic Greeks in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

The resolution was put up for voting Thursday morning and its
discussion continued until almost the end of the workday.

The draft was submitted by opposition forces – the Left Party, the
Green Party, the Social Democratic Workers’ Party and several MPs
from the Liberal People’s Party and the Christian Democratic Party.

The resolution was endorsed by a slight majority of votes. It
recognizes the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians, 250,000 to
500,000 Assyrians and about 350,000 Pontic Greeks in the last phase
of Turkey’s imperial history.

The opponents of recognition of the genocide came up with explanations
for their position.

One of them, Gustav Blix of the Moderate Coalition Party, told Radio
Sweden that it is not politicians that should write history.

He indicated that decisions on such knotty issues should be taken by
international law agencies.

Blix fears the recognition of genocide may hamper the incipient
process of rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey.

The radio recalled in this connection that a Turkish parliamentary
delegation, which made a visit to Sweden a short while ago, warned
the recognition of genocide might do a serious blow to Swedish-Turkish
relations.