Germany: BUNDESTAG The Greens party accuse the ruling coalition to abandon genocide recognition

February 25, 2016 By administrator

arton122563-355x200 The resolution in favor of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide proposed by the German Greens, which had the support of other forces of the ruling coalition could not be presented to the Bundestag votes. The leader of the Green Party, Cem Özdemir denounced the attitude of the leadership of the ruling parties that to please Turkey, on the grounds of the refugee crisis, refused to take the port of this proposal to be shared .

The Greens had negotiated with other parties technical writing of this resolution. But the defection of the leadership of the ruling parties steals for now any chance of getting a majority. “Making recognition of the Armenian genocide hostage to the issue of refugees is a wrong policy,” said Özdemir. With the vote on this resolution, members of the coalition had the opportunity to say clearly what he thinks of what happened. “We know there are many coalition members who do not share the attitude of their group leader,” said Özdemir.

Thursday, February 25, 2016,
Ara © armenews.com

Bundestag to host discussion on Armenian Genocide recognition

February 19, 2016 By administrator

206442 The issue of Germany’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide will be discussed on February 24, Ermenihaber.am reports citing Turkish media.

According to sources, draft resolutions on the massacres were introduced to Bundestag by the Left Party and the Alliance ’90/The Greens. The discussions are set to last 38 minutes.

To remind, the German Bundestag had characterized the massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. In order to create a comprehensive text, the German authorities and the opposition had agreed to transfer the issue to the Foreign Relations and Human Rights Committee.

Bundestag Speaker Norbert Lamert, German President Joachim Gauck, as well as Alliance ’90/The Greens’ co-chairman Cem Ozdemir have at various points spoken out on Germany’s own share in the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians.

IAGS calls on German Bundestag to recognize Armenian Genocide

October 13, 2015 By administrator

The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) sent a letter to the German Bundestag calling on them to recognize the Genocide “of the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire.”

The letter reads:

“We write to you as the past presidents of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, the largest body of scholars who study genocide, concerning the resolution on the Armenian Genocide that may be before you now.

The German government’s engagement with the Armenian Genocide is vitally important to the international perspective in the aftermath of this history. The German Bundestag’s non-binding resolution of June 2005 concerning the annihilation of the Armenians in Turkey provides an important context for the new proposal that is now being considered in the Foreign Committee of the Bundestag.

In order for progress toward reconciliation to be made between Turkey and the Armenian Republic and the Armenian people, acknowledgement of the historical facts about one of the most devastating human rights atrocities of the modern era must be made.

Furthermore, the 2005 resolution read: “The German Bundestag honors and commemorates the victims of violence, murder and expulsion among the Armenian people before and during the First World War. The Bundestag deplores the deeds of the Young Turkish government in the Ottoman Empire that resulted in the almost total annihilation of the Armenians in Anatolia. It also deplores the inglorious role played by the German Reich which had made no attempt to intervene and stop these atrocities.”

German documents on the Armenian Genocide are an important part of the historical record. The documentary scholarship of Johannes Lepsius , the collection of eyewitness photographs of Armin T. Wegner, the eyewitness accounts of numerous German diplomats, officers, missionaries, nurses, engineers and railway workers, and the massive collection of German diplomatic correspondence in the archives of the German Foreign Office, and in Wolfgang Gust’s major collection of foreign office records: The Armenian Genocide: Evidence from the German Foreign Office Archives, 1915–1916, all constitute a significant part of the international historical record.

Germany, more than any country in the 20th century, has dealt with the aftermath of Genocide with exemplary courage and moral reckoning. Germany has been a world leader in its ability to face its past, create a powerful culture of historical memory and deal with issues of recompense and social justice in the wake of the Holocaust. Thus, a statement from Germany affirming the historical facts and historical record of the Ottoman Turkish genocide against more than 3 million Christians—including more than a million Armenians according to the estimate of the German Embassy in Constantinople in October, 1916—would have great moral significance for this centennial moment.

We call on German legislators in this centennial year of 2015 to officially resolve in written form the forceful legal opinions made by speakers of all parliamentary factions on, April 24, 2015, confirming the genocide against the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek populations of the Ottoman Empire. We believe German leadership will help Turkey address its own struggles with historical memory and will help support progressive forces inside Turkey, and Turkey’s forward progress as a proud nation.”

Ambassador: Bundestag to adopt resolution on #ArmenianGenocide this fall

September 22, 2015 By administrator

YEREVAN. – Bundestag will adopt resolution on the Armenian Genocide this fall, German Ambassador to Armenia Matthias Kiesler said.

“There are some processes in the parliament, but I cannot name a precise date,” Ambassador said during a media conference dedicated to the first stage of program of Armenia-Turkey reconciliation.

Ambassador recalled the speeches made by President of Germany Joachim Gauck and chairman of Bundestag Norbert Lammert.

The Armenian Genocide was a subject of heated discussions in Germany, Mr. Kiesler said.

He informed about the visit to the Armenian Genocide Museum and Armenian Genocide Memorial complex together with Saxony Culture Minister who is in Yerevan.

New textbooks are made in Saxony and one of the chapters will be dedicated to the genocides of the past century, including the Armenian Genocide.

At the same time diplomat added that reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey should not depend on recognition by the parliaments of other countries only.

GERMANY The Bundestag will today discuss the resolutions on the Armenian Genocide

May 6, 2015 By administrator

Today Wednesday, 6 May, the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee will consider resolutions on the Armenian Genocide submitted by the three parliamentary groups.
Expert genocide researcher and German activist Tessa Hoffman said it was still unclear whether the Foreign Affairs Committee will decide whether to propose a resolution after discussing the three resolutions submitted by both parties in power and members

Bundestag president says entire Europe is aware of Armenian Genocide

February 14, 2015 By administrator

Georgian diocese, Armenian Church met with the president of Bundestag president,

The head of Georgian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church met with the president of Bundestag, Professor Norbert Lammert on Friday.

The meeting was held on the initiative of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Mr. Ortwin Hennig, at the Embassy of Germany in Georgia.

High-ranking clergymen representing Georgian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, German Lutheran and Evangelical Baptist Churches, Chief Rabbi of Jewish community, the spiritual leader of Yazidi community and, of course, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, attended the meeting.

The president of Bundestag and other high-level guests inquired about the religious tolerance in Georgia and the mutual cooperation among Christian, Islamic, Jewish and other religious communities.

The Primate of the Diocese presented the history of the Armenian Church and Diocese in Georgia and raised main concerns of the Church and community.

The Primate highlighted that despite difficulties, the mutual cooperation among religious communities continues. As for the cooperation with Georgian government – the Diocese anticipates to resolve the issue of restitution of its historical churches.

Professor Norbert Lammert asked the Primate about the mutual relations between Armenian and Islamic communities and between Armenians and Turks in Georgia in view of the approaching 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The president of Bundestag noted that the entire Europe is aware of the genocide against Armenians committed hundred years ago and carefully observe Armenian-Turkish relations; all the Armenian communities plan to hold commemorative events related to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. High-level guests also inquired about how many refugees Georgia accepted during the genocide

His Grace thanked Professor Norbert Lammert for his attention to the great pain of Armenian people and said that despite historic events, Armenian and Islamic communities in Georgia coexist peacefully. He noted that nearly one third of Armenians in Georgia are the descendants of the Armenian genocide victims; Armenian community plans to hold events dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and thus to speak out for justice. The primate also thanked Georgian authorities and all religious communities, who always support Armenian community and share its grief.

The statistic data on mixed ethnic marriages and multicultural cooperation was discussed as well.

Germany Discussion on Armenian Genocide to be held in Bundestag

September 18, 2014 By administrator

Oratert News

The German Bundestag will hold a discussion dedicated to the Armenian Genocide and it is considered that the MPs will adopt a resolution as well. “Armenpress” reporter from Berlin stated that the Bundestag Christian Democratic Party MP, member of the Committee on Foreign Relations Manfred Grund stated that the issue of the format is currently under discussion.

Among other things, Manfred Grund underscored: “I have talked to the Head of Bundestag and now we are discussing the issue of choosing format to mark the 100th anniversary of that horrible crime next year. Probably, the Bundestag will also adopt a resolution on those events and a discussion regarding that crime will be held inside Bundestag as well.”

The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many states and international organizations. The complete catalogue of all documents categorizing the 1915 wholesale massacre of the Armenian population in Ottoman Empire as a premeditated and thoroughly executed act of genocide, is extensive. Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965. The massacres of the Armenian people were officially condemned and recognized as genocide in accordance with the international law by France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Canada, Vatican and Australia.