The adoption by the US Senate of a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide has sparked strong reactions in Turkey. Senior Turkish officials are making statements condemning the Senate’s decision.
The US resolution recognizing the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as genocide could cause serious disagreements between the two countries, Fahrettin Altun, head of communications for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration, wrote on his Twitter page, as reported by tert.am.
According to him, “certain members of the US Congress” have in recent months conducted themselves in an extremely irresponsible manner, thereby “creating tension in the relations between the two peoples and states.”
“Those resolutions will go down in history as the fruit of the senseless and careless activity of certain members of the US Congress directed against Turkey. And they will cause significant and lasting damage to the relations between the two countries,” he stressed.
In addition, Altun recalled Turkey’s proposal “regarding the creation of an international group of historians to give an impartial assessment of the events of 1915.” In his view, “history should not divide, but unite nations.”
Following the Turkish presidency, the Foreign Ministry’s response was not long in coming. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu responded to the US Senate decision. He wrote on his Twitter page, saying:
“The US Senate’s decision is a political show. It has no legal basis or force. Those who use history for political purposes are cowards who do not wish to face history.”
Erdogan’s press spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also reacted. He stated that this decision “can in no way have any impact on Turkey’s resolute stance in the political, economic and military spheres.”
Turkey’s parliamentary forces have likewise condemned the US Senate decision.
Mahir Unal, deputy chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), declared that Turkey regards the US Senate decision as “null and void.”
The chairmen of the parliamentary groups of the three opposition forces represented in parliament — the Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Good Party (İYİ PARTİ) — condemning the Senate’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide, declared that in response, the parties represented in Turkey’s parliament should also come forward with a joint decision.
