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Turkey says ties with Germany will not sour on Armenian "genocide" recognition

Xinhua, June 3, 2016 Adjust font size:

The relations between Turkey and Germany will not suffer despite the German parliament's resolution recognizing an Armenian "genocide" during the World War I, the Turkish prime minister said on Friday.

"We will look at the background of the resolution and give the necessary response," Binali Yildirim told reporters at Ankara Esenboga airport before boarding for an official trip to Azerbaijan.

"Turkey and Germany are very important allied countries. Nobody should expect that our relations with Germany to get worse completely and suddenly due to such resolutions," Yildirim was quoted by Hurriyet News as saying.

On Thursday, the German parliament approved a resolution recognizing the World War I-era killings of Anatolian Armenians at the hands of Ottomans as "genocide," triggering huge reaction from the parliament and senior officials of Turkey.

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) signed a joint declaration on Thursday.

"We strongly condemn the resolution that is based on groundless Armenian allegations. The resolution has no historical or legal validity," read the joint declaration.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday that the resolution adopted by the German Parliament is a disgrace to the reputation of this body.

"This Resolution is an example of ignorance and disrespect for the Law as politicizing history preventing free discussion on historical issues and trying to impose the self-created taboo of Armenian narrative as an indisputable fact," the ministry said in a statement on its official website.

Around 20 supporters of AKP gathered outside the German Embassy in Ankara late Thursday, protesting the resolution of German parliament. Endit