June 2, 2016 - 17:37 AMT
Merkel: Germany seeks to promote dialogue between Armenia, Turkey

The German government intends to promote the establishment of a dialogue between Turkey and Armenia, Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

The German Bundestag on Thursday, June 2 adopted a resolution on the recognition and the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

“Germany and Turkey have much in common,” Merkel said reminding that some 3 million ethnic Turks currently reside in Germany.

“The government and I for this reason intend to contribute to the establishment of a dialogue between Armenia and Turkey.”

According to her, the adoption by the German Bundestag of a resolution on the Armenian Genocide is an example of democratic culture in action.

The vote was unanimous in supporting the resolution with just one MP voting against and another one abstaining.

Titled “Remembrance and commemoration of the Genocide of Armenians and other Christian minorities in the years 1915 and 1916,” the resolution passed with support from all the parties in Parliament. It was put forward by Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc, their partners in the government, the Social Democrats, and the opposition Greens.