Expatica news

Leterme casts doubt on Armenian genocide

5 June 2007

BRUSSELS – Flemish Christian Democrat (CD&V) leader and Flemish minister-president Yves Leterme refuses to use the word “genocide” to describe the mass killings of Armenians by Turkey in 1915.

Leterme said in an interview with Turkish newspaper Zaman that he would prefer not to make any pronouncements on the Armenian genocide but says international institutions are responsible for that kind of determination, De Morgen reports.

“As a politician I make no judgement on that until the international institutions have made a pronouncement on it. I hold firm to this position and have nothing more to add,” Leterme confirmed.

His statements put him in line with Dutch Labour leader Wouter Bos (PvdA), who spoke of the “Armenian issue” rather than the “Armenian genocide” in the run up to the Dutch elections. The discussion that followed cost the PvdA votes.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news