Turkey has slammed US President Joe Biden and some other countries over their remarks on the Armenian Genocide.
“The unfortunate statements that are incompatible with historical facts and international law regarding the events of 1915 are futile efforts aimed at rewriting history for political motives,” read a written statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 24.
The statement followed the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide by Biden.
“We reject these statements, which we consider null and void, and condemn in the strongest terms those who persist in this mistake. Turkey does not need to be lectured about its own history by anyone,” the ministry added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also reacted to the statements through his Twitter account, calling it “yet another attempt by political charlatans to distort history.”
“No one shall dare to lecture us on our history,” the Turkish FM said.
The statement released by the White House is as follows:
Today, we pause to remember the lives lost during the Meds Yeghern—the Armenian genocide— and renew our pledge to never forget.
On April 24, 1915, Ottoman authorities arrested Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople—the start of a systematic campaign of violence against the Armenian community. In the years that followed, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths—a tragedy that forever affected generations of Armenian families.
As we join nations around the world in remembering this painful history, we also reflect on the resilience and resolve of the Armenian people. So many of those who survived were forced to begin new lives in new lands—including the United States. Here and around the world, the Armenian people have met the evil of hate with hope. They rebuilt their communities. They nurtured their families and preserved their culture. They strengthened our nation. They also told their stories—and those of their ancestors—to remember and to ensure that genocide like the one that happened 108 years ago is never again repeated.
Today, let us renew this pledge. Let us recommit to speaking out against hate, standing up for human rights, and preventing atrocities. And together, let us redouble our efforts to forge a better future—one where all people can live with dignity, security, and respect.
