Erdogan Comments on Relations with Biden Following Recognition of the Armenian Genocide

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave an interview to the state-run "TRT" television. He addressed the upcoming meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden scheduled for June 14 and discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Erdogan stated that he would ask Biden about the reasons for the tension in Turkish-American relations.

According to Erdogan, they have worked with presidents from both the Democratic and Republican parties prior to Biden, and there has never been such tension between the two countries before. He noted that there were also no difficulties in organizing meetings and phone calls during the presidencies of Biden's predecessors.

Erdogan emphasized that the cause of the worsening relations between the two countries is the issue of the Armenian Genocide, stating, "We are already fed up with waiting to see what the U.S. will say about the Armenians every April 24. What, have you finished your work and now you are going to act as the lawyer for the Armenians? Let historians handle that. This is not a job for politicians; let historians, legal experts, and anthropologists work, and after that, we as politicians can take our assigned roles regarding the results presented to us. However, at this moment, when there is still nothing, you immediately bring up this so-called genocide issue on the agenda."

The Turkish President then addressed the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, making the following claims: "For years, the Minsk Group—composed of the U.S., Russia, and France—has been unable to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan problem. Years later, Azerbaijan solved its own problem (literally, cut its own stomach). Now, how do you involve Turkey, which has no connection to this issue at all? If you have something to say, something you want to do, come and, as your ally and partner in NATO, tell us what you want to do, and we will discuss it as well. But there is no such thing. You immediately bring up this so-called genocide issue in front of us and present your desired decision. Didn’t the U.S. leaders before you understand this matter? None of them used this term; some referred to it as the 'Great Catastrophe,' others used various different terms, but never this term."

In response to a journalist's clarifying question about whether the use of the term "genocide" stems from other reasons, Erdogan replied, "We are already accustomed to all of this; they always do such things. Turkey is not a dwarf state; we are the Republic of Turkey. Those who pressure Turkey in this way lose an important friend."