The five-page resolution called for a “commemoration of the genocide of Armenian and other Christian minorities in the years 1915 and 1916”.
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“The passage of the resolution is an historic step not only for the Armenian people and Germany, but also for the entire civilized world”.
The news was greeted with delight by dozens of Armenian supporters who had gathered outside the parliament building carrying banners commemorating the genocide.
“President Joachim Gauck’s statement on the occasion of the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide together with this resolution adopted by the Bundestag are Germany’s valuable contribution not only to the worldwide recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, but also to the universal fight for the prevention of genocides, crimes against humanity”, the top Armenian diplomat said in a statement.
Most of the Ottoman Empire’s Armenians were subsequently displaced, deported or placed in concentration camps, ostensibly for rebelling against the Ottomans and siding with Russian Federation during World War I. This affected up to 1.5 million Armenians. Turkey says the toll was much lower and rejects the term “genocide”. Germany now joins France and Russian Federation in recognising the killings as a genocide. “In fact, it is a precondition for understanding, reconciliation and cooperation”.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ahead of the resolution that it could damage “diplomatic, economic, business, political and military ties” between the two countries. The Turkish government “is jointly responsible for [how the matter is handled] in the future”, Lammert said.
“The International community has been waiting for 101 years for Turkey to face its own history”, Nalbandian added.
That echoes the words German President Joachim Gauck used in a speech in April a year ago.
“There is a lot that binds Germany to Turkey and even if we have a difference of opinion on an individual matter, the breadth of our links, our friendship, our strategic ties, is great”, Merkel said, as cited by Reuters. While it is symbolically significant, it has no legal effect.
Meanwhile, the head of the Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahceli, has called for Turkey to back out of the migrant deal with the European Union following the German parliament’s decision.
The German recognition could also stiffen Armenia’s stance in the conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Turkey recalled its ambassador in Berlin for consultations after Thursday’s vote.
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“At times countries that we consider to be friends come up with these bright ideas to distract attention when they fall into despair with their domestic policy”, he said.
