Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Erdogan to Berlin: be sensible on Armenia genocide bill

                                    Image result for Angela Merkel and erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called on Germany to show "common sense" over a resolution recognising the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide".
 Speaking to German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone ahead of the vote in German parliament, Erdogan said: "We expect common sense from Germany with regard to the resolution,".
Germany's parliament votes Thursday on a resolution that qualifies the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "genocide", despite strong warnings from Turkey.
Drawn up by the ruling left-right coalition and the opposition Greens, the resolution entitled "Remembrance and commemoration of the genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in 1915 and 1916" also carries the contested word throughout the text.
The vote comes just over a year after President Joachim Gauck became Germany's highest ranking official to describe the massacre as a "genocide", drawing a fierce response from Turkey.
Its timing is also awkward, as Germany and the European Union need Ankara to help stem a migrant influx even as tensions are rising between both sides over a string of issues, including human rights.
Cautioning against the vote, Turkey's deputy prime minister and government spokesman Numan Kurtulmus said: "Germany must be careful concerning its relations with Turkey."

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