World Markets Research Center
Global Insight
March 12, 2010
Swedish Parliament Sparks Diplomatic Row with Turkey over Recognition
of Armenian Genocide
BYLINE: Blanka Kolenikova
Yesterday, the Swedish parliament recognised the mass killings of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 as genocide, spurring an immediate
diplomatic tension with Turkey. Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt
issued a statement after the vote expressing regret at the
parliament’s decision and emphasising that the vote did not reflect
the government policy towards Turkey. In response to the parliament’s
decision, Turkey cancelled next week’s visit of Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to Sweden, and recalled its ambassador to Sweden,
Zergun Koruturk. The vote follows the decision of U.S. congressional
committee, which has also recognised the killings as genocide
(seeUnited States – Turkey – Armenia: 5 March 2010:).
Significance:The 1915 genocide is one of the most sensitive issues in
Turkish-Armenian relations. According to Sweden’s Living History
Forum, most historians agree that the mass killings in 1915 can be
classified as genocide as per the 1948 UN definition. Although more
than 20 countries now recognise the killings as genocide, the Turkish
government disagrees, arguing that the killings were part of the war
and many Turks have died, too. Sweden generally enjoys good bilateral
relations with Turkey, and the government also backs Turkey’s bid to
join the European Union (EU) in the future. Nevertheless, there are
concerns that their mutual relations could now change: according to
Swedish ambassador to Turkey, Christer Asp, the outcome of the vote
could harm Sweden’s diplomatic and business ties with Turkey, with a
potential to affect relations between the two countries negatively.