Map Close  
Person info Close  
Information Close  
Source reference Close  
  Svenska
 
Previous page Page 526 Next page Smaller font Larger font Print friednly version  
In addition to the desire in certain Israeli circles to maintain the uniqueness of the Holocaust, there are also geopolitical motives behind Israel's stance: Turkey is the only country in the region which has good relations with Israel and vice versa. A couple of years ago, the countries signed treaties for military cooperation. Therefore, one could argue, Israel regards each attack on the integrity of Turkey as a direct threat to its own defence and security in the region.

The first and foremost protector of Turkey in this matter, however, is undoubtedly the US administration. Turkey, a NATO member, has long been the first line of defence of the western alliance against the Soviet Union. With the end of the cold war, many thought that Turkey would loose its former status in the eyes of the USA. However, following the Gulf war, the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, the invasion of Afghanistan, and later the war against Iraq, Turkey has proved to be an important ally for USA. Moreover, Turkey has billion dollars contracts with the arms industry in the USA.

The Armenian Genocide was, more or less, a forbidden subject throughout cold war. No country in the west wished to be on unfriendly terms with Turkey. At the end of the 20th century, however, with the support of Robert Kocharian's administration in Yerevan, the Armenian Diaspora resumed the call for an international acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide. At the same time, despite continuing reasons for protecting Turkey, the political powers in the West had begun to revaluate Turkey and their position on the genocide. All at once, more and more countries around the world, and in particular in Europe, were discussing the Armenian Genocide and introducing bills for official acknowledgement by their respective country. Understandably, the sudden change of tone displeased Ankara, especially as at that time Turkey was intent on qualifying for EU candidacy.

On March 26, 1998, the Belgian Senate recognised and condemned the Armenian Genocide and officially called upon Turkey to recognise the genocide. On April 24, 1998, on the anniversary of the genocide, the European Council published a declaration (nr. 275), in which the signing members declared:

1) April 24, 1915, as the start for the implementation of the plan for annihilation of the Armenians who lived in the Ottoman Empire,

2) Today we commemorate the anniversary of what has been called the first genocide of the 20th century and we salute the memories of the Armenian victims of this crime against humanity". 9

Shortly afterwards, on May 28, 1998, the Armenian Genocide was recognised by the French National Assembly. The Swedish Parliament (indirectly by its consideration in the foreign committee) recognised and condemned the Armenian Genocide on March 29, 2000 (1999/2000UU11). 10 The same year, on November 7, the Armenian Genocide was condemned by the French Senate, the highest institution in the country. Eight days after the French acknowledgment, on November 15, the European Parliament declared a resolution (C5-0036/2000), concerning the report on Turkish progress towards candidacy for the European Union. The following items had been included in the resolution:

"10) Calls, therefore, upon the Turkish government and the Turkish High National Assembly to give fresh support to the Armenian minority, as an important part of the Turkish society, in particular through an official recognition of the genocide which this minority suffered before the establishment of the modern Turkish state.

21) Calls upon the Turkish government to start a dialog with Armenia, particularly in order to re-establish normal diplomatic and trade relations between these two countries and lifting the ongoing blockade." 11