Germany “to support normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations”

PanARMENIAN.Net - Germany is ready to support the normalization of ties between Armenia and Turkey, Bundestag Vice President Edelgard Bulmahn said Tuesday, May 24.

"Given the dark pages of the German history, we seek to take responsibility and help the Armenian and Turkish nations to find common ground and face the history,” Bulmahn said.

On June 2, the Bundestag intends to approve a resolution condemning the century-old Ottoman massacre of Armenians by describing it as genocide. The majority of foreign policy specialists from the relevant parties have given a clear signal that they will support the resolution.

The resolution is titled "Remembrance and Commemoration of the Genocide of Armenians and Other Christian Minorities 101 Years Ago." A CDU-CSU parliamentary spokeswoman said the text of the resolution is ready, having been prepared by no less than three parliamentary working groups. However, there will not be a roll-call vote on the declaration on June 2. This means that members of parliament will not be obliged to attend. The resolution will be voted on by a show of hands.

Bundestag President Norbert Lammert and German President Joachim Gauck have already used the term genocide, which provoked protests from Ankara.