Despite Turkey's Intense Pressure, Germany Labels Armenian Massacre as 'Genocide'

On Thursday, June 3rd, the German Parliament passed a resolution declaring the Armenian massacre as 'genocide' in Germany. In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador from the country. According to the Associated Press, despite Turkey's protests, the German Parliament voted on the proposal titled 'In Memory and Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide and Other Christian Minorities 101 Years Ago During the Ottoman Era.' Only one representative voted against the proposal, and another abstained. In the days leading up to the vote, the Turkish Prime Minister referred to the proposal and its voting as a 'test' for relations between the two countries. This proposal was suggested by a coalition of right-wing, left-wing, and opposition Green parties in the German Parliament and, despite Angela Merkel's absence during the voting, was fully supported by the Chancellor, according to her spokesperson. Hours after the vote, Merkel stated that Germany's relations with Turkey remain broad and strong. Norbert Lammert, the spokesperson for the German Parliament, mentioned before the voting that addressing historical events may be painful; however, an honest and critical assessment of the past cannot jeopardize relations between countries. He emphasized that the current Turkish government is not responsible for what happened a century ago but is responsible for the future of the country. Shortly after the proposal was passed, the Turkish government reacted by recalling its ambassador and labeling it a 'historical mistake' by Germany. According to AFP, Numan Kurtulmuş, the government spokesperson and deputy to Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, stated that this proposal is 'absurd, empty, and a historical mistake' committed by the German government. He described the use of the term 'genocide' as a distorted and baseless accusation. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also reacted to the approval of this proposal. The day before, as protests in Turkey intensified against the voting, a number of Turks residing in Germany gathered in front of the Parliament building in Berlin. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu referred to Germany's 'dark past' and stated, 'The way to close the dark chapter of your past is not to defame and disgrace the history of other countries with careless and baseless decisions in Parliament.' Despite Turkey's strong reaction, the Turkish Prime Minister had previously stated that the approval or disapproval of this proposal would not affect the agreement between Turkey and the European Union regarding controlling the influx of refugees into Europe. Meanwhile, in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, people are pleased with the approval of this proposal. The Itar-Tass news agency quoted Edward Nalbandian, the Armenian Foreign Minister, stating that the Armenians of this country welcome the German government's decision. He said that the approval of this proposal reflects Germany's valuable participation not only in condemning the Armenian massacre but also in the global fight against genocide and crimes against humanity. The news of the approval of this proposal in the German Parliament has been widely welcomed by Twitter users reacting with the hashtag #ArmenianGenocide. Many historians say that during World War I, about one and a half million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks. Turkey opposes labeling the massacre that began in 1915 as genocide, claiming that those who died were victims of civil war and related unrest. Turkey also argues that the death toll has been exaggerated. More than twenty countries worldwide, 43 U.S. states, the Vatican, and international bodies including the European Parliament, the Association of Researchers on Genocide, and the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Genocide and Protection of Minorities recognize the Armenian massacre as the first genocide of the 20th century.