Erdogan to Armenian Journalist: Turkey Cannot Be Blamed for Genocide

The Turkish government does not deport illegal immigrants from Armenia. This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Buenos Aires in response to a question from an Armenian journalist regarding minority rights.

The journalist noted, “I am a descendant of Armenians who witnessed the genocide.”

Erdogan responded, “Turkey cannot be blamed for the Armenian genocide. The issue should be left to historians to see what they will say. We are ready to participate in any debate.”

Following this, Erdogan proclaimed that today’s Turkish government treats Armenians well.

“Do you know how many Armenians live in my country? Hundreds of thousands. About 30,000 of them are Turkish citizens, while the rest live without documents. And we have allowed them to do so. They are not subjected to any discrimination because of their citizenship, and we have not deported anyone for that reason. We are very humane in our behavior and we will continue to remain so,” Erdogan stated.

In response to Erdogan's remarks, the National Armenian Council of South America issued a statement: “This response is cynical for a number of reasons. Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code continues to operate, which means that representatives of the intellectual community, including historians, continue to face prosecution for mentioning the Armenian genocide.”