Bundestag Deputy: With the Refugee Crisis, It Became Clear the EU will Need Turkey and the Tabling of the Resolution was Delayed (EXCLUSIVE)

• 06.14.2016, 12:19
•  Europe,  Region,  World,  Interview

deutschlandfunk.de

"Armedia" IAA presents an exclusive interview with a member of the German Bundestag from Green Party, Spokesperson for Policy on Eastern Europe, Marieluise Beck on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Bundestag and the developments of German-Turkish relations.

- The need for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been voiced at different levels in Germany many times, but it was only 101 years later that Bundestag recognized it. How did that moment come and did you predict that the resolution would almost unanimously be accepted?

- The Bundestag already adopted a resolution in 2005 on the occasion of the 90^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which was unanimously supported by all political groups at the parliament. Back then, the Bundestag avoided using the term "genocide" to ease the attempts for reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia. But, already the 2005 resolution described the fact that the vast majority of historians classify the event of 1915 as genocide.

It was clear that the Bundestag would remember the Armenian Genocide on its 100^th anniversary since there is an obvious German responsibility for what happened. The German government was well informed about the genocide, but did not interfere for the sake of good relations with Turkey, then a major ally in the First World War. Last year, my colleague Cem Özdemir initiated a draft resolution of the Green political group at the Bundestag. Ten years after the first resolution, we had to notice that careful and hopeful attempts for a reconciliation stopped and that it was getting more and more unlikely, since the Turkish government propagated a new harsh nationalistic approach. So for the new resolution it became apparent to call the genocide – genocide, instead of waiting for a historical commission that became more and more unlikely.

The governing coalition drafted a resolution, too, but again avoided the term "genocide" out of respect for Turkey and the difficulty to deal with that past within the Turkish society. However, after the first reading of both resolutions those voices within the coalition got stronger, who were in favor for clearly calling the mass murder genocide. Thus, the coalition offered the green fraction to stop both motions and proposed a new common resolution that should be adopted in the year of the 100^th anniversary by the end of 2015. With the refugee crisis, it became clear the EU will need Turkey and the coalition was delaying the tabling of the resolution. In March 2016, we finally decided that we will no longer wait for the coalition and again tabled an own resolution which reflected the new text we had already agreed on with the government coalition. During the debate on our motion, the coalition again asked us to withdraw the motion and adopt a common resolution until summer 2016. Obviously, they wanted to avoid a situation. where it had to reject a motion of the opposition and the signal that such a voting would send to Armenia.

So, it was a long and hard struggle for a common resolution. I am glad, that we finally reached it. There is always a common interest among all fractions in the Bundestag in reaching broadly supported resolutions on such events of historical meaning.

- Today the Turkish authorities threaten Germany for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Even some actions against Germany are being talked about. Will the recognition of the Armenian Genocide become a reason for the deterioration of German-Turkish relations?

- For sure the resolution will not make easier to deal with Turkey. But we cannot limit our freedom of speech or criticism of the deteriorating democracy and human rights situation in Turkey for the sake of good relations. Contradictoriness and open criticism must be possible in international relations. If you read the text of the resolution carefully, this is not an accusation against Turkey but rather a document emphasizing the German role and responsibility. Unfortunately, German lawmakers with Turkish roots are now confronted with death threats coming from the Turkish community in Germany or from Turkey. President Erdogan is fuelling this hate with utterly impossible comments about these MPs. Obviously, Turkey and Germany will have to work together in the future as well and we should calm down this sharp rhetoric immediately.

- After the recognition of the Armenian Genocide what will Germany’s next steps be?

- The debate about the Armenian Genocide triggered a debate about a possible resolution on the Genocide against the Herero people in Namibia which is another dark part of German history that is still not officially recognized. Concerning the Armenian Genocide, Germany will continue to support the historical research and reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.