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WE ARE CONVINCED THAT GERMAN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WILL NEVERTHELESS FOLLOW THEIR CONSCIENCES ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE
Q: According to Turkish press information Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan have recently stated that "necessary initiatives were made both in Ankara and Berlin to prevent the draft resolution is adopted". He also added they believed that would not be advocated by governmental party. May I ask you to comment on this statement. What arguments does Ankara have for such believe? Do you think that such policy be aimed at making a beforehand pressure on the freedom of choice of the German parliamentarians and the governmental party as well? A: The German-Turkish relationship is very important to Germany and to the Federal Government. The governments of Germany and Turkey have always solved their differences by mutual agreement. We are convinced that German Members of Parliament will nevertheless follow their consciences on this issue. Q: It was also said that Turkish authorities believe that "the issue will be assessed by both parties to prevent disruption of excellent Turkish-German relations". Do you think that this statement may sound as a barefaced blackmail and it will have an effect on the German governmental party? A: It is not the first time that the Turkish government has tried to influence decision making in German federal and state administrations. To some extent this is quite normal among friendly nations. We endeavour to conduct a dialogue and to explain our position. Therefore we hope that our motion will receive a broad backing not only in Parliament but perhaps finally also by our Turkish partners. Q: What factors in your opinion will promote success on the adoption of the resolution? What evidence will you produce to assure your colleagues on the importance of the said project resolution? A: As the motion promotes reconciliation and peace between Turks and Armenians and stresses the responsibilities of Imperial Germany that arises from knowing of the events without trying to prevent them German opinion can easily support this motion. It is explicitly not a resolution calling for the acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide like the resolution adopted by the French Parliament, but a motion for promoting dialogue and understanding both within Turkey and between Turkey and Armenia. Q: Will you refer to the archives, and are all the archive instruments open to the general public? A: The evidence by now is as clear as it was 90 years ago. The archives of the German Foreign Ministry are open to all researchers and have been so for over 50 years (cf. the statement of the German ambassador to Turkey on March 12). These archives contain well-known evidence for the events 1915-1916, because Germany being a close ally of the Ottoman Empire had excellent information on all proceedings within the Ottoman borders. The documents concerning the Armenian subjects of the Ottoman Empire have even recently been published on the Internet. Q: Does CDU/CSU intend to get support of other party groups? Do you advise with other political fractions on this very point? A: We have contacted the other party groups of the German Federal Parliament and since we found a broad consensus we are convinced that we will issue a joint motion together with one or several other political parties. Q: How long will it take to adopt the resolution, and will it give chance to further adopt the adequate law in Germany as it was in France? A: The motion can be adopted before parliamentary recess in July. As it was not our intent to achieve more than the issues we pursue in our motion of February 22, 2005, the question of further action is not being debated. Q: How do you estimate the prospect of Turkey's membership in EU? Whether your attitude to this issue is interrelated with your motion on the Armenian genocide? A: The Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union parties (CDU/CSU) have opposed Turkish European Union membership in favour of offering Turkey the status of a Privileged Partnership just below membership level. As nevertheless membership negotiations are to begin in October this year the outcome of these negotiations will show whether Turkey will join the EU. We consider the issue which we address in our motion to be unrelated to the question whether Turkey will join the EU as a full member or receive the status of a privileged partner. Oksana Musaelyan , ARMINFO, 21 March, 2005 |
This year millions of Armenians worldwide will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire in 1915. In this respect, CDU/CSU German fraction put forward the "Commemoration of Armenians on the 90th anniversary of their relocation and massacre on April 24th, 1915 - Germany should
contribute to provide peace between Turks and Armenians" project resolution that in the Bundestag's agenda in April. Dr. Christoph Bergner, the President of the German-Caucasian Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag being as well one of the authors of the CDU/CSU motion gave the exclusive interview to Armenian Arminfo news agency.
