Turkey fury at Pope's appeal to world to recognise Armenian 'genocide'
Ankara recalls its Vatican envoy after Francis calls on world to recognise the mass slaughter of Armenians around the time of the first world war
Pope Francis yesterday called the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "the first genocide of the 20th century" and urged the international community to recognise it as such, sparking a diplomatic rift with Turkey at a delicate time in Christian-Muslim relations.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who was on hand to mark the 100th anniversary of the slaughter at a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, praised the pope for calling a spade a spade.
But Turkey, which has long denied a genocide took place, said it was recalling its ambassador to the Vatican, after earlier summoning the Vatican's envoy to Ankara to the ministry.
The Foreign Ministry said the Turkish people would not recognise the Pope's statement "which is controversial in every aspect, which is based on prejudice, which distorts history and reduces the pains suffered in Anatolia under the conditions of the first world war to members of just one religion".
Earlier, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted: "The pope's statement which is far from historic and legal truths is unacceptable. Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made and hatred is stirred."
Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to honour the memory of the innocent men, women and children who were "senselessly" murdered by Ottoman Turks.
"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it," he said at the start of a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite honouring the centenary.