STOCKHOLM, — Vote of Swedish MP of Kurdish origin Gulan Avci was crucial in the adoption of Armenian Genocide bill by Swedish Parliament, though Liberal People’s Party opposed the motion.
In an interview with Firat agency, Avci said that she opposed her party and voted for the bill so that Turkey faces the history. “Turkish Kurds are under menace of Genocide, thus recognition of Genocide by Riksdag is of major significance. I knew that my vote will be decisive and necessary. It is time for Turkey to recognize committed past genocides and massacres. Many states consider Turkey a country that committed a Genocide. This is the first time,www.ekurd.netthat Swedish Parliament recognized Genocide of Pontic Greeks, Assyrians and Syrians,” Avci noted.
March 11, majority of Swedish parliament voted for the resolution describing the mass killings of Armenians and other Christian minorities in modern Turkey by the end of World War I as genocide.
Bill on Armenian Genocide recognition has been proposed by three oppositional parties: Social Democratic, Green and Left. Resolution was adopted with 131 against 130 votes.
Later Turkey recalled its Ambassador from Stockholm and cancelled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Sweden scheduled for March 17 after the adoption of Armenian Genocide Resolution by Riksdag.
Majority of Swedish parliament voted in favor of resolution describing the mass killings of Armenians and other Christian minorities in modern Turkey by the end of World War I as genocide, Swedish media say.
Thus, parliament went against the government, having the red-green opposition suggesting the resolution for discussion. The non-socialist parties threw the proposal reasoning that politicians are not going to write the history. However, a number of conservative MPs voted for the resolution, which resulted in motion passing by a casting vote — 131 against 130.
“Now I assume that Foreign Minister Carl Bildt respects the decision of Parliament and to the Turkish leadership position in front of Parliament, that what happened in 1915 was a genocide. There have been reports that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan visit Stockholm next week. If it is true, I think it goes without saying that Bildt will address the issue,” said Riksdag member Hans Linde.
According to the experts, it may have been up to 2.5 million people lost their lives, while Turkey negates that there was a genocide.
On on March 4, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, voted to adopt the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252). The Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian issued a brief statement welcoming the House Committee vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution.
“We highly appreciate the decision by the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States House of Representatives to adopt Resolution 252 on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” the statement read. “This is another proof of the devotion of the American people to universal human values and is an important step toward the prevention of the crimes against humanity
