BFF-45 Erdogan says Biden’s genocide recognition ‘destructive’

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TURKEY-US-ARMENIA

Erdogan says Biden’s genocide recognition ‘destructive’

ANKARA, April 26, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Monday denounced US President Joe Biden’s recognition of the Armenian
genocide as “groundless” and harmful to bilateral ties.

Erdogan had issued a carefully-worded statement moment before Biden
made his landmark announcement on Saturday at a ceremony commemorating
the tragic 1915-17 events.

But Erdogan did not hold back his anger in a televised address that
he also used to point out the US history of slavery and persecution of
Native Americans.

“The US president has made comments that are groundless and unfair,”
Erdogan said in televised remarks.

“We believe that these comments were included in the declaration
following pressure from radical Armenian groups and anti-Turkish
circles. But this situation does not reduce the destructive impact of
these comments.”

The Armenians — supported by historians and scholars — say 1.5
million of their people died in a genocide committed under the Ottoman
Empire during World War I.

Ankara accepts that both Armenians and Turks died in huge numbers as
Ottoman forces fought tsarist Russia.

But Turkey vehemently denies a deliberate policy of genocide and
notes that the term had not been legally defined at the time.

Biden tried to temper the inevitable Turkish anger by calling
Erdogan for the first time since taking office in January.

The two leaders agreed in the Friday phone call to meet on the
sidelines of a NATO summit in June.

But Erdogan said on Monday that Biden needed “to look in the mirror”
when calling the century-old events a genocide.

“We can also talk about what happened to Native Americans, Blacks
and in Vietnam,” Erdogan said.

BSS/AFP/MRU/2319hrs