Tweet
TURKEY RECALLS AMBASSADOR OVER POPE'S ARMENIA GENOCIDE WORDS
The Associated Press
April 12, 2015 Sunday 8:20 PM GMT
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press
VATICAN CITY
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis on Sunday marked the 100th anniversary
of the slaughter of Armenians by calling the massacre by Ottoman Turks
"the first genocide of the 20th century" and urging the international
community to recognize it as such. Turkey immediately responded by
recalling its ambassador and accusing Francis of spreading hatred and
"unfounded claims."
Francis issued the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian
church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian, who praised the pope
for calling a spade a spade and "delivering a powerful message to
the international community."
"The words of the leader of a church with 1 billion followers cannot
but have a strong impact," he told The Associated Press.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, denies a genocide took place. It has insisted that
the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of
civil war and unrest.
Francis defended his words by saying it was his duty to honor the
memory of the innocent men, women and children who were "senselessly"
murdered by Ottoman Turks.
"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding
without bandaging it," he said.
He said similar massacres are under way today against Christians who
because of their faith are "publicly and ruthlessly put to death -
decapitated, crucified, burned alive - or forced to leave their
homeland," a reference to the Islamic State group's assault against
Christians in Iraq and Syria.
Francis called on the world community, heads of state and international
organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired to prevent such
"horrors" from repeating themselves, and to oppose all such crimes
"without ceding to ambiguity or compromise."
Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries, including the Holy
See, from officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as genocide
and reacted strongly to Francis' declaration.
"The pope's statement, which is far from historic and legal truths,
is unacceptable," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted.
"Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made
and hatred is stirred."
The Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican's envoy in Ankara, and
then announced it was recalling its own ambassador to the Vatican
for consultations.
In a statement, the ministry said the Turkish people would not
recognize the pope's statement "which is controversial in every aspect,
which is based on prejudice, which distorts history and reduces the
pains suffered in Anatolia under the conditions of the First World
War to members of just one religion."
It accused Francis of deviating from his message of peace and
reconciliation during his November visit to Turkey.
Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though
Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term
officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.
The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with
the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands that Muslim
leaders condemn the Islamic State group slaughter of Christians.
But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once
again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues
close to his heart. And the massacre of Armenians is indeed close
to the Vatican's heart given that Armenia is held up as the first
Christian nation, dating from 301.
That said, Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a
genocide. St. John Paul II wrote in a 2001 joint declaration with the
Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, that the deaths were considered
"the first genocide of the 20th century."
But the context of Francis' pronunciation was different and
significant: in St. Peter's during an Armenian rite service with
the Armenian church and state leadership in attendance on the
100th anniversary of the slaughter. And his call for international
acknowledgement of what happened went beyond what John Paul had
written.
Francis' words had a deeply moving effect among Armenians in the
basilica, many of whom wept. At the end of the service, the Armenian
Apostolic Church's Aram I thanked Francis for his clear condemnation
and recalled that "genocide" is a crime against humanity that requires
reparation.
The Armenian president, Sarkisian, praised Francis for "calling things
by their names."
In the interview, he acknowledged the reparation issue, but said
"for our people, the primary issue is universal recognition of the
Armenian genocide, including recognition by Turkey."
He dismissed Turkish calls for joint research into what transpired,
saying researchers and commissions have already come to the conclusion
and there is "no doubt at all that what happened was a genocide."
The lead sponsor of a new U.S. congressional resolution recognizing the
genocide, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), said he hoped the pope's words would
"inspire our president and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment
to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce
Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial."
The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United
Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended
to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many
dispute which mass killings should be called genocide and whether the
terms of the U.N. convention on genocide can be applied retroactively.
Reaction to the pope's declaration on the streets in Istanbul was
mixed.
"I'm glad he said it," said Aysun Vahic Olger. "When you look at
history, there's proof of it."
However, Mucahit Yucedal, 25, said he felt genocide is a "serious
allegation."
"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious
figure who has many followers," he said.
___
AP writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Desmond Butler and Ayse Wieting
in Istanbul contributed to this report.
The Associated Press
April 12, 2015 Sunday 8:20 PM GMT
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press
VATICAN CITY
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis on Sunday marked the 100th anniversary
of the slaughter of Armenians by calling the massacre by Ottoman Turks
"the first genocide of the 20th century" and urging the international
community to recognize it as such. Turkey immediately responded by
recalling its ambassador and accusing Francis of spreading hatred and
"unfounded claims."
Francis issued the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter's
Basilica commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian
church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian, who praised the pope
for calling a spade a spade and "delivering a powerful message to
the international community."
"The words of the leader of a church with 1 billion followers cannot
but have a strong impact," he told The Associated Press.
Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by
Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed
by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.
Turkey, however, denies a genocide took place. It has insisted that
the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of
civil war and unrest.
Francis defended his words by saying it was his duty to honor the
memory of the innocent men, women and children who were "senselessly"
murdered by Ottoman Turks.
"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding
without bandaging it," he said.
He said similar massacres are under way today against Christians who
because of their faith are "publicly and ruthlessly put to death -
decapitated, crucified, burned alive - or forced to leave their
homeland," a reference to the Islamic State group's assault against
Christians in Iraq and Syria.
Francis called on the world community, heads of state and international
organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired to prevent such
"horrors" from repeating themselves, and to oppose all such crimes
"without ceding to ambiguity or compromise."
Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries, including the Holy
See, from officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as genocide
and reacted strongly to Francis' declaration.
"The pope's statement, which is far from historic and legal truths,
is unacceptable," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted.
"Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made
and hatred is stirred."
The Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican's envoy in Ankara, and
then announced it was recalling its own ambassador to the Vatican
for consultations.
In a statement, the ministry said the Turkish people would not
recognize the pope's statement "which is controversial in every aspect,
which is based on prejudice, which distorts history and reduces the
pains suffered in Anatolia under the conditions of the First World
War to members of just one religion."
It accused Francis of deviating from his message of peace and
reconciliation during his November visit to Turkey.
Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though
Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term
officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.
The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with
the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands that Muslim
leaders condemn the Islamic State group slaughter of Christians.
But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once
again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues
close to his heart. And the massacre of Armenians is indeed close
to the Vatican's heart given that Armenia is held up as the first
Christian nation, dating from 301.
That said, Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a
genocide. St. John Paul II wrote in a 2001 joint declaration with the
Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, that the deaths were considered
"the first genocide of the 20th century."
But the context of Francis' pronunciation was different and
significant: in St. Peter's during an Armenian rite service with
the Armenian church and state leadership in attendance on the
100th anniversary of the slaughter. And his call for international
acknowledgement of what happened went beyond what John Paul had
written.
Francis' words had a deeply moving effect among Armenians in the
basilica, many of whom wept. At the end of the service, the Armenian
Apostolic Church's Aram I thanked Francis for his clear condemnation
and recalled that "genocide" is a crime against humanity that requires
reparation.
The Armenian president, Sarkisian, praised Francis for "calling things
by their names."
In the interview, he acknowledged the reparation issue, but said
"for our people, the primary issue is universal recognition of the
Armenian genocide, including recognition by Turkey."
He dismissed Turkish calls for joint research into what transpired,
saying researchers and commissions have already come to the conclusion
and there is "no doubt at all that what happened was a genocide."
The lead sponsor of a new U.S. congressional resolution recognizing the
genocide, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), said he hoped the pope's words would
"inspire our president and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment
to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce
Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial."
The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United
Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended
to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many
dispute which mass killings should be called genocide and whether the
terms of the U.N. convention on genocide can be applied retroactively.
Reaction to the pope's declaration on the streets in Istanbul was
mixed.
"I'm glad he said it," said Aysun Vahic Olger. "When you look at
history, there's proof of it."
However, Mucahit Yucedal, 25, said he felt genocide is a "serious
allegation."
"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious
figure who has many followers," he said.
___
AP writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Desmond Butler and Ayse Wieting
in Istanbul contributed to this report.