Turkey’s aggressive policy of intimidation and denial of the Armenian Genocide
1.10.2020
Question for written answer E-005399/2020
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 138
Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (PPE), Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (PPE), Vangelis Meimarakis (PPE), Georgios Kyrtsos (PPE), Stelios Kympouropoulos (PPE), Maria Spyraki (PPE), Manolis Kefalogiannis (PPE), Theodoros Zagorakis (PPE), Lefteris Christoforou (PPE), Radan Kanev (PPE), Demetris Papadakis (S&D), Ivan Štefanec (PPE), David Lega (PPE), Annie Schreijer-Pierik (PPE), Charlie Weimers (ECR), Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (Renew), Costas Mavrides (S&D), Eva Kaili (S&D), Hermann Tertsch (ECR), Elżbieta Kruk (ECR), Lukas Mandl (PPE), Massimiliano Salini (PPE), Ulrike Müller (Renew), Loucas Fourlas (PPE), Frédérique Ries (Renew)
In recent months, the Turkish authorities have adopted a particularly aggressive policy of intimidation against, inter alia, groups engaged in civic activism that are raising awareness about the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek Genocides in Ottoman Turkey[1].
In May 2020, an Armenian church in Istanbul was desecrated[2].
In June 2020, anti-Armenian demonstrations were held in Lebanon following the initiative of a group of extremists supported by Turkey, which were triggered by a video that glorifies the Armenian Genocide[3]. On June 15 2020, a meeting of the Turkish Presidency’s Consultation Council was convened in an effort to develop a predefined strategy to promote the denial of the Armenian Genocide and to oppose those fighting for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide worldwide[4].
Finally, on 23 June 2020, a number of high-level Turkish officials announced the launch of an organisation whose sole objective will be to fabricate material denying the Armenian Genocide.
- 1.What is the position of the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Turkey’s aggressive policy of intimidation and denial of the Armenian Genocide, considering that denial is the last stage of a genocide?
- 2.How does the EEAS intend to address these dangerous developments?
- [1] https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/05/12/erdogan-vows-to-fight-greek-armenian-lobbies/
- [2] https://en.armradio.am/2020/05/27/armenian-church-in-istanbul-attacked-cross-ripped-off/
- [3] The video also contained death threats and racist insults addressed to a Lebanese journalist because of his Armenian origins. Link to the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAh3xR_9S_M
- [4] This five-hour meeting was chaired by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself. In addition to the above, just one day after the Consultation Council, the Turkish President received the representative Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi (MHP), a Turkish extremist and fascist party. For further information: https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/diplomacy/turkish-presidency-discusses-proper-response-to-groundless-claims-on-1915-events