Turkey on Friday strongly condemned President Vladimir Putin and the State Duma for reaffirming Russia’s recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire but stopped short of recalling its ambassador in Moscow.
“We reject and condemn the labelling of the 1915 events as ‘genocide’ by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, despite all our warnings and calls. Such political statements, which are flagrant violation of law, are null and void for Turkey,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry charged that Russia itself is guilty of mass killings committed in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia over the past century and has no moral right to accuse other states of genocide.
Putin referred to the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide in a statement issued on Wednesday. He went on to take part in Friday’s official commemorations in Yerevan of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
“More than 1.5 million innocent people were murdered and maimed, while over 600,000 others were deported from their homes and subjected to mass repressions,” Putin said in a speech at the ceremony. “Many priceless architectural monuments and shrines were destroyed and ancient books and invaluable manuscripts burned down.”
Later in the day, the State Duma adopted a statement expressing “deep sympathy for brotherly Armenia in connection with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.” The lower house of Russia’s parliament had first recognized the genocide in 1995.
“We also condemn this statement,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
“The participation of the Russian President in the April 24th ceremonies in Yerevan, the show stage of the centennial propaganda campaign of Armenia, should be considered in this context as well,” it added.
Despite the harsh criticism, Ankara did not recall the Turkish ambassador to Russia or announce other retaliatory measures against Moscow.
The Turkish ambassadors to the Vatican and Austria were swiftly recalled this after Pope Francis and the Austrian parliament described the Armenian massacres as genocide.