Germany’s Armenian genocide vote provoked dissent in Turkey

World Today

Germany has triggered an outcry in Turkey over the Armenian genocide vote. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Germany on Tuesday in protest against the German parliament resolution declaring the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 a genocide.

CCTV’s Guy Henderson reports from Berlin.

While Armenians celebrated the result of the votes outside Germany’s parliament, down the road, German Chancellor Angela Merkel showed concern for the relationship between Germany and Turkey, considering the 3 million Turkish citizens that live in Germany. Merkel backed the bill, but abstained from voting. She emphasized Germany’s friendship with Turkey.

Merkel helped make Ankara a linchpin in Europe’s solution to the refugee crisis, but the deal isn’t closed yet. With the vote escalating tensions between Germany and Turkey at this diplomatically delicate juncture, some fear it could derail it.

Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, believes that the issue is a “subject that even historians cannot agree upon.” The general public in Turkey  are divided on their country’s official stance – some think it was a genocide, while others believe Turkey was misjudged.


Doga Eralp and Bryan Ardouny on Germany’s Armenian genocide vote

With regard to the impact of German’s move, CCTV America invited two guests to join the discussion with Mike Walter – Professor Doga Eralp from American University, School of International Service, and Bryan Ardouny, the Executive Director at Armenian Assembly of America.