By Hrair Tamrazian in Prague
"The German Bundestag will discuss and pass a Genocide Resolution onThursday [16 June]," journalist Ashot Manucharian, who lives and works in Germany, told RFE/RL.
According to Manucharian, the resolution will use the word "genocide". At
the same time, it points out that "numerous independent historians,
parliaments and international organizations call the massacre of Armenians
'a genocide.'"
"That is, the Bundestag, on the one hand, does not want Turkey to be
subjected to harsh criticism, on the other hand it does not want to conceal
historical truth," said Manucharian.
It is mentioned in the resolution that "the Bundestag feels for the tragedy
experienced by the Armenian people, pays homage to the victims of the
massacre and asks forgiveness that the German Empire undertook nothing to preclude that massacre."
The preliminary discussions concerning the passage of a special resolution
on the Armenian Genocide took place at the Bundestag on April 21.
Despite pressure from the Turkish Government, the Turkish Embassy in
Germany and lobbyist groups, all parties represented in the Bundestag have
decided to adopt before September a special document related to the Armenian Genocide. However, because of Federal Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder's announcement of pre-term parliamentary elections, the Bundestag, in its turn, intends to complete the process before the original September deadline.