Armenian Genocide Became a Cause of Political Dispute in Germany

PanARMENIAN.Net - A serious dispute occurred between Central Union of Armenians (ZAD) and left-wing parliamentarians of Bundestag in Germany. The cause is political scientist Hakki Keskin's statement, who is the president of Turkish Community Union in Germany. In an interview to the "JungeWelt" Keskin casts doubt on the fact of the Armenian Genocide. In its statement ZAD criticizes the left-wing party, mentioning that they have destroyed all existing stereotypes and are no longer a real socialistic character party with traditions of Roza Luxemburg and Karl Marks. In this regard ZAD calls upon the leftists to refuse from Keskin. But instead the head of party Bodo Ramelow only said that most possibly the party will forbid its members to make such separate statements. Alongside, he stressed that the party himself has never denied mass killings of Armenians, but at the same time reminds that during those events thousands of Turks also were killed. Ramelow fully sympathizes official Turkey on leaving that issue for examination by historians as if to 'exclude all kinds of interpretations of the events in 1915'. In his words, ZAD's actions are characterized as just a campaign. As a response to Ramelow's statement ZAD puts a question," Is it possible that we, the descendants of those who survived the Genocide, practically have no rights in a country, which carries a historical responsibility for committing genocide and cannot complain of the incorrigible negationist of the genocide."



Now Keskin nearly every day gives interviews to Turkish and German publications and TVs. His stand on the events of 1915 is heard more and more often. In an interview to SPIEGEL ONLINE Keskin casts doubt on the fact of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Empire, saying that there is no evidence for that. "Yes, a lot Armenians have died, but was it a planned action to annihilate Armenian population, moreover 100 000 Turks were also killed," said the head of Turkish communities in Germany. Keskin follows official Ankara's position on appointing historical commission. Commenting on that statement the ex-director of Jerusalem International Institute of Holocaust professor Yehuda Bauer says, "What should the commission investigate? Turkey's bloody past? The Armenian Genocide has been carried out and several European countries have recognized it."



In his part Bundestag deputy Ulla Jelpke in an interview to SPIEGEL ONLINE stated that she waits from Keskin corrections on his stand. "He should recognize his responsibility for the historical truth," she said. The "Stern Shortnews" Internet publication reports that up till now Turkish politicians claim that there wasn't any Genocide. Turkish Prime Minister Rejep Tayyep Erdoghan roughly criticized Germany, which in 2005 adopted a resolution condemning the Genocide. Erdoghan called it a 'mistakable' and 'repulsive' document, IA Regnum reports.