Joe Biden formally recognises atrocities against Armenians in early 20th century as ‘genocide’
- Previous US presidents have avoided using the term ‘genocide’ out of concern that it would complicate relations with Turkey, an important Nato ally
- An estimated 2 million Armenians were deported and 1.5 million were killed in the events of 1915 to 1923 known as Metz Yeghern
Biden became the first US president to use the word genocide in a statement on the anniversary, a day after informing Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the decision and seeking to limit the furore from the Nato ally.
“We remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring,” Biden said. “We affirm the history. We do this not to cast blame but to ensure that what happened is never repeated.”
Explaining Biden’s thinking, an administration official pointed to the Democratic president’s vows to put a new priority on human rights and highlighted his outspokenness on systemic racism in the United States.
Across the world, “people are beginning to acknowledge and address and grapple with the painful historical facts in their own countries. It’s certainly something that we are doing here in the United States”, the official said.
As many as 1.5 million Armenians are estimated to have been killed from 1915 to 1917 during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, which suspected the Christian minority of conspiring with adversary Russia in WWI.