After 95 Years, Sweden Calls Killing of Armenians Genocide

The Swedish parliament took a vote Thursday on an important wording issue, and the end result led to diplomatic strain between Sweden and Turkey. That’s because the word that parliament members decided on was genocide, and the incident they were applying it to was the mass killing of Armenians in Turkey in 1915.  —KA

The New York Times:

Swedish news agency TT said Turkey recalled its ambassador from Sweden to protest the surprise decision, which was taken in a 131-130 vote in the 349-seat assembly. Eighty-eight lawmakers were absent during the vote.

‘‘After 95 years it is time for people who have suffered so long to obtain redress,’’ said Gulan Avci, a Liberal Party lawmaker who broke with her party’s line and voted to recognize the Armenian genocide. Avci is a Kurdish immigrant from Turkey.

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