Het Parool: Never before Armenian Genocide Got as Much Attention in Dutch Politics
Never before the Armenian Genocide got as much attention in the Dutch politics as in the previous weeks. A small lobby with many branches in Binnenhof had unexpected success, writes the Het Parool, a Dutch daily newspaper published in Hague. Addie Schulte, the author of the article titled Armenian Lobby Is Strong, thinks that "the Netherlands has spared herself a big deal of misery."
It started a month ago with a letter to CDA (Christian Democrat Party) and a press release. The Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands (FAON) and its 24 April Committee asked if candidate Member of Parliament Ayhan Tonca distances himself from his earlier denial of the Armenian Genocide. "Tonca were a straight denier", says Inge Drost, spokeswoman of the Armenian Organizations. The Armenian lobby did not get a direct answer to the letter to CDA. But after the attention paid by media, the matter gained momentum, which seems still to continue," Drost said. In fact it concerns a historical question, and the struggle for its recognition is not political, says Mrs. Drost. "But the policy of denial is guided by Ankara". "Turkey is doing a rearguard action: almost all historians recognize the Genocide. But we cannot just pass over, because Turkey wants to become a member of the European Union. That is unthinkable without recognition of the Genocide," Drost underscored, FAON told PanARMENIAN.Net.
It started a month ago with a letter to CDA (Christian Democrat Party) and a press release. The Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands (FAON) and its 24 April Committee asked if candidate Member of Parliament Ayhan Tonca distances himself from his earlier denial of the Armenian Genocide. "Tonca were a straight denier", says Inge Drost, spokeswoman of the Armenian Organizations. The Armenian lobby did not get a direct answer to the letter to CDA. But after the attention paid by media, the matter gained momentum, which seems still to continue," Drost said. In fact it concerns a historical question, and the struggle for its recognition is not political, says Mrs. Drost. "But the policy of denial is guided by Ankara". "Turkey is doing a rearguard action: almost all historians recognize the Genocide. But we cannot just pass over, because Turkey wants to become a member of the European Union. That is unthinkable without recognition of the Genocide," Drost underscored, FAON told PanARMENIAN.Net.
