ANKARA—Turkey has condemned a statement from Russian President Vladimir Putin recognizing the Armenian Genocide, Russian news agency TASS reports.
“Despite our warnings and appeals, Russian President Vladimir Putin evaluated the events of 1915 as genocide,” the statement says. “We do not accept it and condemn it. Such political statements that are a direct violation of law can have no legal effect.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry noted that “Russia should better know what genocide is like and what legal aspects it has.”
“We know that once in ten years the [State] Duma [the lower house of Russia’s parliament] has a habit of making political statements which support Armenia’s one-sided interests,” it said. “Duma did not break this tradition and on April 24, 2015 issued a respective statement. We condemn it, too.”
Ankara also said, “Russian president’s participation in the events held in Yerevan on April 24 should be regarded as part of Armenia’s propagandistic campaign.”
“Russia can do one thing – to renounce its unilateral position and to positively enhance implementation of Turkey’s appeals to the Armenians about friendship and peace,” it said.
Earlier in the day, in his speech at the Remembrance ceremony in Yerevan Putin said: “Russia’s stance was and remains consistent: we have always thought that mass killings of people cannot be justified.”
“The Kremlin does not regard Russian President Vladimir Putin’s participation in commemorative events timed to coincide with the centenary of the 1915 genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as a reason behind Turkey’s negative reaction,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
When asked by a TASS correspondent about the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement, which condemned the Russian leader’s words, Peskov replied: “We do not think that the president’s participation in the remembrance events may, in some way, be interpreted negatively by Ankara.”
“Armenia is Russia’s very important partner and a participant in the Eurasian Economic Union, a great number of Armenians reside in Russia and, on the whole, relations of the two countries have deep historical roots,” Peskov said.
“It is just natural that the president attended the commemorative events in Yerevan alongside other heads of states and one should get familiarized with President Putin’s speech,” he said.
At the same time, Peskov noted importance of the fact that Turkey is Russia’s strategic partner.
“We believe that prospects for enhancing relations with Ankara are quite broad. We value highly our relationship with Turkey,” the Kremlin spokesman concluded.
Israel is surrounded by a sea of Arab Muslims. Armenia is surrounded by a sea of Turkic Muslims. Both are under existential threat. Both have experienced genocide and have diasporas spanning the globe. Israel finds security by allying itself with the US. Armenia finds security by allying itself with Russia. Armenia’s strategic alliance with a super power has all of her enemies roiling with anger and envy. The special relationship between Armenia and Russia is unshakable, nonnegotiable and permanent.
God bless Mother Russia.
Erdogan,
The civilized world does not care what the Genocidal Turkey and Genocide deniers think. The hell with you Erdogan.
Ha ha again.. and Russia is “trembling”as a result!
The genocidal Turks have bern denoucing God Himself for centuries….what is debouncing the French, Russians and the Pope himself? That is what Turks do best! Genocide and deny! Genocide and deny! Over and over again. They are shanekess and Erdogan is the biggest clown in the scene now…buy hey Obama lives him…never mind Erdo is the biggest supporter of ISIS , never mind it has imprisoned more journalists than all the countries put together….but Obama LOVES him, isn’t that enough? I have never read such a lasting romance in any book….there is bo romance like the one between Obama and Erdo….well what more can I say? They deserve each other….in more way than one!
Turkey the sick man of Europe is threatening the mighty Russian bear. I know who I would place my bet on!
And God denouces Turkey!
According to a Serbian Prophet,
Turkey will change its Capital to Mecca !.
Arn.Sweden.