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Press TV, Iran
April 12 2015
Turkey deplores Pope's 'one-sided' genocide remarks
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has censured Pope Francis'
recent controversial comments, in which he used the word "genocide" to
describe the 1915 killing of Armenians.
In a televised speech on Sunday, Davutoglu accused the pontiff of
making "inappropriate" and "one-sided" remarks, adding, "We'd expect
the religious leaders to call for peace. Opening archives for those
whose hearts are sealed serves no purpose."
The Turkish premier further noted that the Pope' recent stance was in
contradiction to his former position during a November visit to Turkey
and expressed hope for a revision to his attitude.
Tensions rose between Ankara and the Vatican after the 78-year-old
head of the Roman Catholic Church termed the massacre of Armenians by
Ottoman forces during World War I as "the first genocide of the 20th
century."
"We recall the centenary of that tragic event, that immense and
senseless slaughter whose cruelty your forebears had to endure," he
said during a Sunday solemn mass in Saint Peter's Basilica.
In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador to the Vatican for
consultation, with Turkey's Foreign Ministry saying in a statement
that Pope Francis's remarks were "incompatible with the legal and
historical facts."
In his Twitter account earlier on Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu also denounced the pontiff's comments as
"unacceptable" as well as "far from historic and legal truths."
Ankara rejects the term "genocide" and instead says the 300,000 to
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, who perished between
1915 and 1917 were the casualties of World War I.
Armenia, however, says that up to 1.5 million of its people were
killed and demands that their death must be recognized as genocide.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/04/12/405986/Turkey-raps-Popes-genocide-remarks
April 12 2015
Turkey deplores Pope's 'one-sided' genocide remarks
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has censured Pope Francis'
recent controversial comments, in which he used the word "genocide" to
describe the 1915 killing of Armenians.
In a televised speech on Sunday, Davutoglu accused the pontiff of
making "inappropriate" and "one-sided" remarks, adding, "We'd expect
the religious leaders to call for peace. Opening archives for those
whose hearts are sealed serves no purpose."
The Turkish premier further noted that the Pope' recent stance was in
contradiction to his former position during a November visit to Turkey
and expressed hope for a revision to his attitude.
Tensions rose between Ankara and the Vatican after the 78-year-old
head of the Roman Catholic Church termed the massacre of Armenians by
Ottoman forces during World War I as "the first genocide of the 20th
century."
"We recall the centenary of that tragic event, that immense and
senseless slaughter whose cruelty your forebears had to endure," he
said during a Sunday solemn mass in Saint Peter's Basilica.
In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador to the Vatican for
consultation, with Turkey's Foreign Ministry saying in a statement
that Pope Francis's remarks were "incompatible with the legal and
historical facts."
In his Twitter account earlier on Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu also denounced the pontiff's comments as
"unacceptable" as well as "far from historic and legal truths."
Ankara rejects the term "genocide" and instead says the 300,000 to
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, who perished between
1915 and 1917 were the casualties of World War I.
Armenia, however, says that up to 1.5 million of its people were
killed and demands that their death must be recognized as genocide.
http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/04/12/405986/Turkey-raps-Popes-genocide-remarks