Turkey's Foreign Ministry Calls on Biden to Correct Serious Mistake

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to U.S. President Joe Biden's message on April 24, in which he referred to the 1915 Turkish atrocities as genocide. The statement is presented in full below.

“It is clear that this claim has no scientific or legal basis, nor any evidence. Regarding the events of 1915, none of the necessary conditions for the usage of the term ‘genocide,’ which are strictly defined in international law, have been fulfilled. The nature of the events of 1915 does not change based on the current political motives or internal considerations of politicians. Such an attitude only serves the gross distortion of history.

The European Court of Human Rights has clearly documented the controversial nature of the events of 1915. Moreover, in 2005, Turkey offered the Armenian side to create a joint commission of historians to achieve fair remembrance of the historical facts of that period. Although Armenia has never responded to that proposal, it remains on the negotiating table.

In this regard, the U.S. president's statement, which is neither legally nor morally authorized to judge historical matters, holds no value.

As a country located in the center of the region known as the cradle of civilizations, and which, despite all its sufferings, has made efforts for peace and the tranquility of humanity, Turkey has never shied away from confronting its history and hence, will not take lessons from any country, including the United States.

On this occasion, we once again commemorate the sacred memories of all Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities of the Ottoman Empire who perished under extraordinary conditions before and during World War I. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's message on April 24 for the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives during World War I, read at the Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul during this year's service, reflects Turkey's approach to this topic.

More than a hundred years after that suffering, instead of making sincere efforts to fully heal the wounds of the past and build a future in our region, the U.S. president's statement will not yield any result other than polarizing nations and obstructing peace and stability in our region.

This statement from the U.S. that distorts historical facts will never be accepted by the conscience of the Turkish people and will open a deep wound that undermines our mutual trust and friendship. We call on the U.S. president to rectify this serious mistake, which serves no purpose other than to satisfy certain political circles and support efforts towards establishing a practical framework for peaceful coexistence between the Turkish and Armenian peoples, rather than serving the agenda of these circles that attempt to provoke animosity based on history.”