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Professor Ove Bring, Sweden’s leading expert in international law, commenting German Bundestag resolution which unanimously recognized the Armenian Genocide on 02 June, regretted that the German government was absent from the vote, reminding that it is the government that makes decisions on foreign relations and not the parliament.

“On the one hand it is positive that the German Bundestag has lined up with many other Parliamentary Assemblies in recognizing the Genocide of 1915. On the other hand, it is clear that, like in many other such cases, the Parliamentary recognition will not translate into Government policy. Angela Merkel kept herself absent when the vote was taking place. And it is the Government, not the Parliament that conducts foreign policy and directs diplomacy”, – he said in the interview with Panorama.am.  

Referring to the fact that Turkey responded to this in a diplomatic way, with frustration, Dr. Bring noted that such behavior of Turkey invites Germany to respond in some way. “It remains to be seen whether the recognition will affect bilateral diplomacy between the two countries”, – he added.  

Dr. Bring has many times stated that what happened in the Ottoman Empire with the Armenians clearly constitutes the crime of Genocide under the international law; that it was a systematic state policy of extermination of Armenians and not simply ‘deportation’ or ‘resettlement’, as claimed by Turkey. He has also urged the international community to be more active in recognizing and condemning the crime of Genocide and to take serious measures for genocide prevention today.

Dr. Ove Bring is a Professor Emeritus of International Law at Stockholm University and Swedish Defence University, Director at Dalhelm International Law AB.

Interview by Nvard Chalikyan