ANKARA HAPPY WITH SWEDISH PM’S STANCE ON VOTE
The Swedish Wire
March 16 2010
LONDON (AFP) – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Tuesday hailed as "very positive" his Swedish counterpart’s decision
to distance himself from a vote on the massacres of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks.
Sweden’s parliament moved last week to recognise the "genocide" of
Armenians in 1915 during the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, going
against the government’s advice.
Ankara quickly recalled its ambassador and cancelled a visit by Erdogan
to Sweden after the vote, which came just days after a similar move
by a US Congressional panel.
But speaking after talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London,
Erdogan welcomed a telephone call made by Swedish premier Frederik
Reinfeldt on Saturday, voicing his sadness over the vote.
"I believe that the statements made by my friend the prime minister
of Sweden Mr Reinfeldt are very important," he said, speaking through
a translator.
"He has explained in his statements that such decisions taken by the
parliament of Sweden are politicising… he regrets to see that such
decisions are being taken and he also assures that the Swedish people
have very positive views about the Turkish people."
Erdogan added: "I believe that these are all very positive
statements… and I thank him for it."
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed in
a systematic campaign of extermination during World War I as the
Ottoman Empire fell apart.
Turkey categorically rejects the genocide label, arguing that between
300,000 and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks were killed
in civil strife when Armenians rose up for independence and sided
with invading Russian forces.
But much to Ankara’s ire, parliaments in several countries have
recognized the killings as genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
