YEREVAN. – Bundestag is expected to hold debates on the Armenian Genocide resolution on June 2. Armenian News-NEWS.am talked to Cem Ozdemir, co-chairman of the German political party Alliance ’90/The Greens who is supporting recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Bundestag will discuss the Armenian Genocide resolution in June. After heated discussions, the Greens withdrew the draft resolution to review the document. What changes have been made? Is “genocide” term mentioned in the document?
When we were discussing the Armenian genocide issue in Bundestag last time, chairman of the Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group Volker Kauder shook my hand and assured me that we would make a joint statement. We clarified that the statement would contain the following points: a. yes, it was a genocide; b. yes, Germany had its share of responsibility; c. we will support reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. Our agreement is in force and is the key point of a joint statement that we want to adopt on June 2.
What are your personal expectations? Will Bundestag adopt the resolution this time?
I am very optimistic that this time it will be put to the vote. However, it is more important to vote on a resolution that mentions precise words. We have been working on it for over a year. We have been holding talks for a long time, and I am pleased that we are on a good track now.
Turkey pressed EU to interfere with the “Aghet” concert project of the Dresden symphony orchestra. Olaf Zimmermann, head of the German Cultural Council, said it’s yet another case of Turkey’s inappropriate interference abroad. How strong in your mind is Turkey’s influence on Germany? Do you think the influence is the reason that the Armenian Genocide resolution has not been adopted by Bundestag so far?
You can see the result: the Armenians, Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldeans and Pontic Greeks, who made up a quarter of the population of the Ottoman Empire before the genocide, make only small minority groups in today’s Turkey. Whatever Turkey calls the events, everyone can get an idea. Therefore, the Turkish government is making a mockery of themselves when trying to press the Dresden symphony orchestra or even the German Bundestag to accept their interpretation of history. Neither Germany, nor the EU should be susceptible to blackmail by authoritarian rulers such as Erdogan or Putin. The result is increasingly the opposite, namely more and more people are getting interested not only in the fate of the Christians in the former Ottoman Empire, but also in the Muslim world today.
The director of the Dresden symphony orchestra and other prominent cultural figures called on to recognize the genocide in a letter sent to Bundestag this week. My impression is that the case of “Aghet” will encourage certain colleagues in the Bundestag to vote for the recognition on June 2.