Netherlands: Turkey's reaction to Armenian Genocide bill predictable

PanARMENIAN.Net - The reaction of the Turkish government to the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide adopted by the Parliament of the Netherlands was predictable, acting Dutch foreign minister Sigrid Kaag said on Friday, February 23.

Turkey’s foreign ministry on Thursday condemned the Dutch parliament’s move.

Kaag said the Dutch government looked carefully into the issue of the Armenian Genocide, adding that there is no need to comment on reactions, De Telegraaf reports.

Under another motion, also approved on Thursday, a Dutch cabinet representative should attend the commemoration of Genocide in Armenia in April every five years.

The Armenian foreign ministry, meanwhile, said Yerevan highly appreciates the debates held in the Parliament of Netherlands and the decisions adopted as a result.

"With this step, the Parliament of the Netherlands once again reconfirmed its commitment to universal human values and the noble cause of prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity," foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said.

The Dutch parliament had in April 2015 passed a binding resolution recognizing the genocide of Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War One.

Some three dozen countries, hundreds of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as Genocide.

Turkey denies to this day.