Erdogan's April 24 Message

I pay tribute to the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the harsh conditions of the First World War, and I express my condolences to their descendants. This is stated in Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's message to the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and the Armenian community.

“We still feel the pain of lives lost due to the turmoil, criminal movements, violence perpetrated by armed groups, and epidemics during the war years that followed the end of the Ottoman Empire. The sad memories of the past should not hold hostage the present and the future. We, who have lived together on the soil of this country for centuries, continue to share our joys and sorrows as before. Regardless of the reason, we did not allow any form of discrimination against any individual, and we will never allow it in the future. The security and prosperity of our Armenian citizens in our country’s culture, arts, politics, economy, education, and social life will remain our priority, just as it is for all other citizens... With these thoughts, I sincerely share in the pain experienced by the Armenian society in the past and once again remember with respect all the Ottoman citizens who lost their lives,” the message states.