SPAIN’S GOVERNMENT SEEKING TO BLOCK GENOCIDE BILL

Asbarez
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Mar 23rd, 2010

MADRID-Spain’s government is working to torpedo efforts by its
legislature to pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide,
reported the Spanish ABC newspaper.

ABC reported Tuesday that Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos contacted the leader of the Congress of Deputies, Jose Bono,
requesting he work to stonewall the resolution.

According to the daily, the government argued that Genocide recognition
would provoke a negative response from Ankara, which it considers to
a key NATO ally.

The Catalonian Parliament has already passed a bill recognizing the
Armenian Genocide and the Spanish government is worried that Madrid
may be next

Turkey has been on edge as of late, worried that the approval on March
4 of a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide in the US House
Committee on Foreign Affairs could lead many European countries to
follow suit. Sweden’s parliament passed a similar measure on March 11.

Turkey lashed at both countries, recalling its ambassadors from
Washington and Stockholm and threatening to cut economic and diplomatic
ties.