March 18, 2005 - 11:04 AMT
GERMANY SHOULD PRESS TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE PAST, RESOLUTION OF GERMAN CONSERVATIVE PARTIES SAYS
The Christian Democratic and Christian Socialist parties of Germany protesting against Turkey's EU membership have launched a campaign to prevent this process, IA Regnum reports. The parties have adopted a resolution on the occasion of the 90-th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which is to be submitted to the parliament. The resolution notes that Germany being an ally to the Ottoman Empire during the First World War was aware of the outraging plans for elimination and exiles of Armenians. The document stresses that "Turkey as the successor of the Ottoman Empire keep on denying the reality. Such position conflicts with the EU principles on reconciliation and forgiveness." "Germany should press Turkey to acknowledge the past and establish normal relations with Armenia", the resolution runs.