US resolution: mass killing of Armenians was genocide
The US House of Representatives last week passed a resolution describing the mass killings of Armenians carried out in the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1917 as genocide. Turkey, which denies this, is incensed. A look at Europe's commentary columns reveals widely diverging views on Washington's decision.
Cheap revenge on Turkey
The decision is retaliation for President Erdoğan's recent actions, the pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah is convinced:
“From sanctions against Turkey to cooperation with nonstate actors, the U.S. establishment seeks ways to help the PKK form a statelet in the region. ... The U.S. House of Representatives just recognized the so-called Armenian genocide and passed a sanctions bill. The Europeans would have followed suit, had they been less worried about the refugee crisis. That harsh response is an act of vengeance - an attempt to settle the score with Turkey, which has removed YPG terrorists from its borders.”
This is not about the Americans
Turkey specialist Yuri Mavachev agrees in Izvestia that the US delegates are considering the topic of the Armenian genocide primarily in the current political context:
“The main goal is to hurt Turkey, and because of the Sochi memorandum [between Putin and Erdoğan on the action in Syria], really badly by drawing parallels between the Kurds and the Armenians. But the attempts to turn history on its head with such comparisons are not convincing. Owing to the differences of opinion between Trump and the members of the US Congress regarding the international situation of the US, the tragic events in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 are becoming an instrument in the hands of unscrupulous political studs. This is not a solution. It conveys the impression that no one is interested in what the tragic events were or were not.”
Principles against unpredictable leaders
The decision was right, even if it was a long time coming, Ta Nea writes:
“The US House of Representatives did not consider the impact on US-Turkey relations even though relations are at a low point and are determined by the whims of two unpredictable and megalomaniacal leaders - Trump and Erdoğan. Despite this, the House acted independently and took a decision that was based on principles rather than cold calculation. At this time our world is sorely in need of such principled decisions and actions, because the fate of the planet lies in the hands of such leaders. We must counter such leaders' thinking with universal principles and values, such as respect for historical memory.”