Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Tweede Kamer
The Chairman's seat at the Tweede Kamer - Credit: photo: JanKranendonk / DepositPhotos
Politics
Armenian Genocide
Tweede Kamer
ChristenUnie
Joël Voordewind
Turkey
Armenia
diplomatic crisis
Friday, 16 February 2018 - 07:48
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Dutch Parliament recognizes Armenian genocide; Minister to attend commemoration

A majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, approved two motions regarding the Armenian genocide of 1915 on Thursday. One states that the Tweede Kamer "recognizes the Armenian genocide", the other that a Dutch Minister or State Secretary should attend the commemoration of this genocide in Armenia in April. This decision is expected to further sour the relationship between Turkey and the Netherlands, ANP reports.

Both motions were submitted by ChristenUnie parliamentarian Joel Voordewind. All four coalition parties supported the motions.

Hundreds of thousands of Armenians were murdered in 1915, at the time of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish government insists that this was not a planned genocide, but a war situation. The Turks also say that the Armenians were a danger because they were fighting on the side of the Russian enemy. There are therefore always furious reactions from the Turkish capital of Ankara whenever countries announce recognition of the genocide.

When the Germans recognized the Armenian genocide, there were protests and furious reactions from Turkey, according to RTL Nieuws. Pope Franciscus recently called it the first genocide of the 20th century, immediately resulting in a diplomatic fallout between Turkey and the Vatican.

So far the Netherlands never officially recognized the genocide, always speaking of the "issue of the Armenian genocide". But a majority in parliament believes it is time for that to change. "We can not deny history out of fear of sanctions. Our country houses the capital of international law after all, so we must not be afraid to do the right thing here too", Voordewind said to Trouw on Friday.

The relationship between the Netherlands and Turkey is already tense, since the Netherlands refused Turkish ministers access to the country to campaign for a referendum that gave president Recep Tayyip Erdogan more power. Recently talks to repair this relationship broke down, and the Netherlands officially recalled the Dutch ambassador to the country.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Entrepreneurs: Keep Covid access passes as a last resort if situation deteriorates
  • Cabinet wants to block family reunification when homes are unavailable
  • Quarterly home sales drop 10%, but sales price over 18% higher
  • Record 76,000 businesses quit in first half of this year
  • Money worries damaging people's health, doctors say
  • Local governments to limit swimming in open waters

Top stories

  • Code Yellow in Netherlands as thermometers top 30 degrees Celsius
  • Renting out rooms simplified in Eindhoven to help students
  • Hundreds protest against anti-LGBTQIA+ violence in Amsterdam
  • Robbers target Ajax captain Dusan Tadic outside of his Amsterdam home
  • Supermarket prices up 18.5% in less than a year
  • Temps to 31 degrees today; Netherlands residents underestimate heat, says Red Cross

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content