Germany doesn’t solve "other issues” by Genocide resolution, says Minister of State

The German Minister made this statement in his “Reconciliation cannot be achieved by passing a resolution” article published in Berlin’s Tagesspiegel on June 2.

“What can we achieve in concrete terms? For it is impossible for a German parliament to come to grips the history of Armenians or Turks on their behalf. However, we can most certainly take a look at the wrong committed by the German Reich. There is good reason why our joint motion mentions the fact that the German Reich shares some of the responsibility, by remaining silent. There is ample evidence that the Ottoman Empire’s key military allies bore some of the guilt and this has to be examined critically,” wrote Michael Roth.

The German official urged to stop pretending that the name given to events in 1915 depends on current political issues.

“Implementation of the refugee agreement between the EU and Turkey or the worrying domestic situation in Turkey have nothing to do with what happened 101 years ago. The dead, the displaced and their descendants do not deserve to have their fate treated as a bargaining point in disputes among states,” noted the German Minister of State.

According to Michael Roth, Germany can give piece of advice based on its historical experience: “Dear Turks, dear Armenians, do what we have done. On the basis of historical facts, be honest to yourselves and brutally self-critical!”

The German official noticed that Germany struggled for a long time to deal with the past in an appropriate manner and to shoulder responsibility.

“There is something we can do: we should encourage Turks and Armenians and do even more to help them find projects which foster understanding and reconciliation. Above all, I am pinning my hopes on the younger generations in both countries. It would finally make the future and not only the past the focus of attention. The most difficult part of the road towards rapprochement between Turks and Armenians is still to come. Today’s debate in the Bundestag will not change that in any way,” concluded Michael Roth.