International media about Pope's speech about the Armenian Genocide. Part 2

Fox News. Turkey recalls ambassador over pope's Armenia genocide comments

Pope Francis on Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians by calling the massacre by Ottoman Turks "the first genocide of the 20th century" and urging the international community to recognize it as such. Turkey immediately responded by recalling its ambassador and accusing Francis of spreading hatred and "unfounded claims."

Francis issued the pronouncement during a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica commemorating the centenary that was attended by Armenian church leaders and President Serge Sarkisian, who praised the pope for calling a spade a spade and "delivering a powerful message to the international community."

"The words of the leader of a church with 1 billion followers cannot but have a strong impact," he told The Associated Press.

Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey, however, denies a genocide took place. It has insisted that the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

Francis defended his words by saying it was his duty to honor 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.

He said similar massacres are under way today against Christians who because of their faith are "publicly and ruthlessly put to death — decapitated, crucified, burned alive — or forced to leave their homeland," a reference to the Islamic State group's assault against Christians in Iraq and Syria.

Francis called on the world community, heads of state and international organizations to recognize the truth of what transpired to prevent such "horrors" from repeating themselves, and to oppose all such crimes "without ceding to ambiguity or compromise."

Turkey has fiercely lobbied to prevent countries, including the Holy See, from officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as genocide and reacted strongly to Francis' declaration.

"The pope's statement, which is far from historic and legal truths, is unacceptable," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted. "Religious positions are not places where unfounded claims are made and hatred is stirred."

The Foreign Ministry summoned the Vatican's envoy in Ankara, and then announced it was recalling its own ambassador to the Vatican for consultations.

In a statement, the ministry said the Turkish people would not recognize 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."

It accused Francis of deviating from his message of peace and reconciliation during his November visit to Turkey.

Several European countries recognize the massacres as genocide, though Italy and the United States, for example, have avoided using the term officially given the importance they place on Turkey as an ally.

The Holy See, too, places great importance in its relationship with the moderate Muslim nation, especially as it demands that Muslim leaders condemn the Islamic State group slaughter of Christians.

But Francis' willingness to rile Ankara with his words showed once again that he has few qualms about taking diplomatic risks for issues close to his heart. And the massacre of Armenians is indeed close to the Vatican's heart given that Armenia is held up as the first Christian nation, dating from 301.

That said, Francis is not the first pope to call the massacre a genocide. St. John Paul II wrote in a 2001 joint declaration with the Armenian church leader, Karenkin II, that the deaths were considered "the first genocide of the 20th century."

But the context of Francis' pronunciation was different and significant: in St. Peter's during an Armenian rite service with the Armenian church and state leadership in attendance on the 100th anniversary of the slaughter. And his call for international acknowledgement of what happened went beyond what John Paul had written.

Francis' words had a deeply moving effect among Armenians in the basilica, many of whom wept. At the end of the service, the Armenian Apostolic Church's Aram I thanked Francis for his clear condemnation and recalled that "genocide" is a crime against humanity that requires reparation.

The Armenian president, Sarkisian, praised Francis for "calling things by their names."

In the interview, he acknowledged the reparation issue, but said "for our people, the primary issue is universal recognition of the Armenian genocide, including recognition by Turkey."

He dismissed Turkish calls for joint research into what transpired, saying researchers and commissions have already come to the conclusion and there is "no doubt at all that what happened was a genocide."

The lead sponsor of a new U.S. congressional resolution recognizing the genocide, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), said he hoped the pope's words would "inspire our president and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial."

The definition of genocide has long been contentious. The United Nations in 1948 defined genocide as killing and other acts intended to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, but many dispute which mass killings should be called genocide and whether the terms of the U.N. convention on genocide can be applied retroactively.

Reaction to the pope's declaration on the streets in Istanbul was mixed.

"I'm glad he said it," said Aysun Vahic Olger. "When you look at history, there's proof of it."

However, Mucahit Yucedal, 25, said he felt genocide is a "serious allegation."

"I don't support the word genocide being used by a great religious figure who has many followers," he said.

Sky News. Turkey's Anger Over Pope's 'Genocide' Remarks

Turkey has criticised Pope Francis' use of the word "genocide" to describe the mass killings of Armenians during the First World War.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called the Pope's comments "inappropriate".

"To read these sorrows in a one-sided way is inappropriate for the Pope and the authority that he holds," he said.

Earlier, foreign minister in Ankara, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called the Pontiff's allegations "baseless" and "far from the legal and historical reality".
He added that religious authorities were "not the places to incite resentment and hatred".

Turkey had earlier summoned the Vatican envoy to Ankara, Archbishop Antonino Lucibello, to request an explanation over the Pope's use of the word "genocide".

He made the comments during a mass in Saint Peter's Basilica to mark the centenary of the Ottoman Turk murders of Armenians.

He said: "In the past century our human family has lived through three massive and unprecedented tragedies.

"The first, which is widely considered 'the first genocide of the 20th century', struck your own Armenian people."

The 78-year old head of the Roman Catholic Church had been under pressure to use the word genocide to describe the bloodshed, despite the risk of alienating an important ally in the fight against Islamist militants.

According to a Turkish official speaking to the Reuters news agency, the Vatican's ambassador has been told that the remarks have caused a "problem of trust" - and that Ankara was "deeply sorry and disappointed" by the comments.

While many historians describe the events between 1915 and 1917 as the 20th century's first genocide, Turkey strongly denies the accusation.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered as the Ottoman Empire fell apart, and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide.

Turkey argues that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks died in the civil war when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.

The Pontiff said the other two genocides of the 20th century were "perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism".

He added: "And more recently there have been other mass killings, like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia. It seems that humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood."

Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan also celebrated the mass, which included elements of the Armenian Catholic rite.

Francis proclaimed a 10th-century Armenian monk a "Doctor of the Church" - making Saint Gregory just one of 36 saintly theologians whose writings are considered to hold key insights into the Catholic faith.

The Vatican has a long history of support for the Armenians, with John Paul II using the word genocide in a joint statement signed with the Armenian patriarch in 2000.

He said: "The Armenian genocide, which began the century, was a prologue to horrors that would follow."

But it provoked outrage in Turkey, and a year later during a trip to Armenia John Paul II avoided using the term, instead choosing the Armenian expression "Metz Yeghern" - meaning "Great Evil".

Last week, TV star Kim Kardashian, her husband Kanye West, daughter North and sister Khloe, visited Armenia to celebrate her family's roots and mark the centenary.

Kardashian, whose ancestors emigrated to the US from an area that now lies in Turkey, is reportedly making a documentary about the Armenian WW1 killings.

Los Angeles Times. Pope Francis' Armenian genocide remarks prompt strong response

It  wasn’t so much what he said as how he said it.

When Pope Francis used the term “genocide” on Sunday to describe the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks 100 years ago, he was not breaking new ground. Pope John Paul II had written the same in 2001, and Francis had made similar references before.

But the timing and setting of the pope’s remarks — a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica marking the centenary of the killings, with top Armenian religious and political leaders in attendance — drew a strong international response. Armenians worldwide expressed deep gratitude to Francis, while Turkey reacted in anger.

“It's very, very exciting that the pope has the strength to say it,” said Seta Haig, a mental health therapist who attended services Sunday at St. Gregory Armenian Catholic Church in Glendale. “He is fearless. He has guts.”

More than 200,000 people of Armenian descent live in Los Angeles County, with a large concentration in Glendale, according to U.S. Census data.

The Turkish government responded to the pope’s comments by recalling its ambassador to the Vatican, and summoned the Vatican’s ambassador in Ankara to express its “great disappointment and sadness.”

Turkey claims that just half a million Armenians died in fighting when they rose up against their Ottoman rulers during World War I, and denies that their deaths constitute an act of genocide.

That position conflicts with the views of most historians of the period, who agree that as many as 1.5 million Armenians were victims of genocide at the hands of the Turks.

Speaking at the Mass, Francis defined the slaughter as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” quoting the statement made by John Paul II.
“The remaining two were perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism,” Francis said. “And more recently there have been other mass killings, like those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia.”

Francis said it was “necessary, and indeed a duty,” to remember the Armenians killed, “for whenever memory fades, it means that evil allows wounds to fester. Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it!”

Among those listening at St. Peter’s were Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church, including Karekin II and Aram I, the two Catholicoi at the top of the church’s hierarchy.

Sargsyan praised Francis for “calling things by their names.”

Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank), who is the lead sponsor of the proposed Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, also praised the pope and called again for action by the United States.

“Pope Francis has proven himself a remarkable figure in every way, and his recognition today of the Armenian genocide was another courageous milestone in his papacy,” he said in a statement issued by his office. “I hope that the pope's words will inspire our president and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce Turkey's campaign of concealment and denial.”

“The words of the leader of a church with 1 billion followers cannot but have a strong impact,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press.
Francis’ comments were similarly hailed in Southern California’s large Armenian diaspora community, which has lobbied for years for official recognition of the genocide.

“As far as the Armenian American community is concerned, the pope has taken a courageous stand despite the threats from the Republic of Turkey,” Glendale Mayor Zareh Sinanyan said.

Sinanyan said Turkey’s denial of the genocide and the United States’ refusal to acknowledge it have kept Armenians from moving on from the killings.

“It’s like a bleeding wound that just won’t go away,” he said. “There’s no closure, there’s no healing.”

A number of countries have issued statements over the years condemning Turkey’s actions as genocide. Although President Obama, before his 2008 election, referred several times to the deaths as genocide, he has not done so as president, maintaining his predecessors’ reluctance to alienate Turkey, a highly valued ally in the Middle East.

Turkey said Francis’ comments “contradicted his message of peace, reconciliation and dialogue” made during his visit to the country in November.

“The pope’s statement, which is far from the legal and historical reality, cannot be accepted,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted on Sunday.

“Religious authorities are not the places to incite resentment and hatred with baseless allegations,” he added.

Francis now risks losing Turkey’s support as he seeks to defend Christian communities being persecuted by Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Many Christians have sought refuge in Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, as they have fled the Islamist militants.

Describing those communities Sunday, Francis underscored the “muffled and forgotten cry of so many of our defenseless brothers and sisters who, on account of their faith in Christ or their ethnic origin, are publicly and ruthlessly put to death — decapitated, crucified, burned alive — or forced to leave their homeland.”

In a speech at St. Peter’s before the Mass, the Armenian prelate Karekin II used the word “genocide” 13 times.

“With a deliberate plan, with horrific atrocities, one and a half million Armenians were slaughtered,” he said. “Our ancient people were uprooted from their cherished cradle of life — their historic homeland — and scattered over different countries. Our centuries-old Christian legacy heritage was ruined, obliterated and seized.”

Wall Street Journal. Pope Francis Calls Armenian Deaths ‘First Genocide of 20th Century’

Pope Francis described the 1915 mass killings of Armenians by Turks as the “first genocide of the 20th century” on Sunday, touching off a diplomatic furor with Turkey and entering into a tense historical debate with wider implications for the Vatican’s relations with Islam.

Turkey, which has long rejected the term genocide to describe the killings, swiftly called its ambassador to the Vatican back to Ankara for consultations after the pope’s remarks. Turkey’s foreign ministry also summoned the Vatican’s envoy to Ankara, informing him that the government was “disappointed and saddened” by the pontiff’s comments, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

The pope, speaking at a mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark the 100 years since the killings, addressed the massacres in the context of the contemporary persecution of Christians in the Muslim world. That subject has become an increasingly pressing themefor Pope Francis—who, before becoming pontiff, had close ties to Buenos Aires’s overwhelmingly Christian Armenian community.

Even as he has continued to call for better relations between Catholicism and Islam, the pope has urged Muslim leaders to denounce the actions of extremists and pushed Christians of different churches to stand together in the face of anti-Christian violence.

The pope’s statement is a boost for Armenia’s decadeslong campaign to define the killings as genocide, as well as a setback for Turkey’s efforts to fend off the accusations of systematic killing.

Armenians—the vast majority of whom are Christians—say that as many as 1.5 million Armenians were systematically killed during World War I in today’s eastern Turkey, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire.

A number of countries officially recognize the killings as genocide. But Turkey contests Armenian claims about the scale of losses; it argues that hundreds of thousands actually died in warfare and famine, and that many Turks were also killed by Armenians. Turkey argues that the question of genocide should be left to historians rather than politicians.

Pope Francis said Sunday that “it is necessary, and indeed a duty,” to “recall the centenary of that tragic event, that immense and senseless slaughter whose cruelty your forbears had to endure…Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.”
Turkey accused the Vatican of using history for political aims: by singling out Armenians and not mentioning all lost lives in Anatolia during World War I. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the comments were “not fitting of the Pope.”

“The Pope’s declaration, divorced from historical and legal facts, is unacceptable. Religious posts are not positions to stoke hatred and grudges on baseless claims,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a message from his official Twitter account.

It wasn’t the first time a pope has called the 1915 deaths genocide. Pope Francis, in referring to “the first genocide of the 20th century,” was quoting a 2001 common declaration by Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who was also present at Sunday’s Mass, along with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Pope Francis went further than the 2001 declaration, calling the killing of Armenians one of “three massive and unprecedented tragedies” in the 20th century. “The remaining two were perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism,” he said. The latter reference was to the 1932-33 man-made famine in Ukraine, part of Joseph Stalin’s effort to collectivize Soviet agriculture, which killed as many as 7.5 million people.

The pope also spoke of the 1915 killings in connection to recent attacks on Christians, with an impassioned reference to “so many of our defenseless brothers and sisters who, on account of their faith in Christ or their ethnic origin, are publicly and ruthlessly put to death—decapitated, crucified, burned alive—or forced to leave their homeland.”

The pope has become increasingly vocal about the persecution of Christians around the world, especially in Muslim-majority countries. He has called on Muslim leaders to denounce the actions of Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. At a Good Friday ceremony on April 3, he deplored the world’s “complicit silence” about such persecution, including the previous day’s killings of nearly 150—many of them Christians—by a Somali insurgent group in Kenya.

The Good Friday ceremony prominently featured Christians from Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt and China, countries in which Christians experience varying degrees of violence and official discrimination.

As he has campaigned on behalf of persecuted Christians, Pope Francis has ardently promoted better relations between the Catholic Church and the Muslim world. He has written that “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Quran are opposed to every form of violence.” On a May visit to Israel, he made a gesture of solidarity with Palestinians by stopping to pray at the controversial Israeli separation wall on the West Bank. He has publicly prayed with Muslims at the Vatican and in an Istanbul mosque.

Sunday’s Mass commemorated the centenary of what Armenians call the “Metz Yeghern,” a term that Vatican translators rendered as “Great Evil.” It was also the occasion for Pope Francis to proclaim St. Gregory of Narek a “doctor of the church,” honoring the 10th-century Armenian monk for his contributions to theology.

The pope also called for reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, but his words are likely to raise tensions between the Vatican and Ankara.
Asked about reports that Ankara had summoned the Vatican’s envoy, Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi declined to comment.

Pope Francis had referred to the killing as a genocide before his election as pope, but had lately treated the issue more delicately.

Speaking to reporters at the end of a November trip to Turkey, the pope praised a statement made last April by Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan—then prime minister and now president since August—that offered “condolences” to descendants of the Armenian dead and expressed hope for “compassion and mutually humane attitudes towards one another.”

Mr. Erdogan has repeatedly called for a joint historical commission to establish a definitive record of the events, seeking to settle a century of mutual recriminations between Turks and Armenians.

But the Turkish president’s rhetoric has recently shifted, with Mr. Erdogan accusing the Armenian diaspora and Western leaders of fomenting enmity between the two peoples with genocide accusations.

As the 1915 anniversary nears, the geopolitics of the massacres are being played out in Washington and capitals of nations where the Armenian diaspora have made their homes.

In a separate written message to Armenians released by the Vatican on Sunday, the pope appeared to suggest that other leaders should join him in adopting the language of genocide: “All who are heads of state and of international organizations are called to oppose such crimes with a firm sense of duty, without ceding to ambiguity or compromise.”

A group of 40 members of Congress introduced a resolution to formally recognize the Armenian genocide in March, a move likely to strain U.S.-Turkish relations. Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), lead sponsor of the resolution, praised the pope’s remarks, saying he hoped they would “inspire our President and Congress to demonstrate a like commitment to speaking the truth about the Armenian genocide and to renounce Turkey’s campaign of concealment and denial.”

President Barack Obama pledged during his 2008 campaign that he would formally recognize the genocide though he hasn’t followed through. In remarks last year, Mr. Obama called the killings “one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century” without referring to them as genocide.

“Obama and other leaders will now face significant pressure,” said Henri Barkey, a former State Department official who currently teaches international relations at Lehigh University. “Until now, Turkey always tried to prevent Western recognition. The pope’s sermon is a serious crack.”

Armenian President Sargsyan said the pope’s statement was a “significant result” in the fight for defining the killings by their real name. A Turkish official said Sunday that Armenians “have closed all channels” for reconciliation and taken a hostile stance, despite the government’s efforts to set aside a policy of denial and “make up for its past faults as it presses ahead.”

The Armenian Patriarchate in Istanbul couldn’t be reached for a comment on Sunday. Members of Turkey’s Armenian community have been traditionally cautious in their public statements, out of sensitivity to relations with Turkish officials.

“This is the dilemma the Armenian community faces in Turkey. I believe everyone feels happy about this recognition of the genocide by this important religious institution, but they will not be able to express that,” said Rober Koptas, an Armenian publisher and the former editor in chief of Turkey’s Armenian newspaper, Agos, in Istanbul.

“I wish we didn’t need these types of foreign statements but instead got recognition and apology from Turkish authorities,” he said.

Bloomberg. Pope Francis Says Armenian World War I Killing Was Genocide

Pope Francis said the killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule during World War I was “genocide,” drawing a rebuke from Turkey, which has always rejected the charge.

The massacres were “the first genocide of the 20th century,” Francis said Sunday at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the 100th anniversary of the deaths. “Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.”

Turkey summoned the Vatican ambassador in Ankara over the remarks, CNNTurk reported. Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini declined to comment.

“The pope’s statement, which is far from historical and legal truths, cannot be accepted,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a Twitter posting. “Religious offices are not venues for instigating hatred and revenge with baseless accusations.”

Frictions between Turkey and Armenia date back to the breakup of the Ottoman empire during World War I, when the Turkish authorities’ decision to expel Armenians from their homes led to mass killings. Armenia says 1.5 million died in actions that amounted to genocide. Turkey says the dead were victims of civil strife and that the numbers have been inflated.

Francis, who celebrated Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in honor of a 10th-century Armenian mystic, said the slaughter was the first “massive” tragedy of the last century, followed by the Nazi Holocaust and Stalinism. He said it was his duty to honor the memory of the Armenians as well as the Catholic and Orthodox Syrians, Assyrians, Chaldeans and Greeks who “were murdered” by Ottoman Turks.

‘Complicit Silence’

The pope recalled other mass killings including those in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia, saying humanity has “refused to learn from its mistakes.” He also denounced the “complicit silence,” an issue he already addressed last week when, during his Easter blessing, he asked the world not to stand by as Christians and other religious minorities are slaughtered across the globe.

This is not the first time a pope has referred to the Armenian killings as genocide. In his speech, Francis cited a 2001 declaration by John Paul II and Armenian church leader Karekin II, which used the term.

BBC. Turkey anger at Pope Francis Armenian 'genocide' claim

Turkey has recalled its envoy to the Vatican after Pope Francis described the mass killing of Armenians under Ottoman rule in WW1 as "genocide".

Turkey has reacted with anger to the comment made by the Pope at a service in Rome earlier on Sunday.

Armenia and many historians say up to 1.5 million Armenian Christians were killed by Ottoman forces in 1915.

But Turkey has always disputed that figure and said the deaths were part of a civil conflict triggered by WW1.

The row has continued to sour relations between Armenia and Turkey.

'Bleeding wound'

The Pope made the comments at a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite at Peter's Basilica, attended by the Armenian president and church leaders.

He said that humanity had lived through "three massive and unprecedented tragedies" in the last century.

"The first, which is widely considered 'the first genocide of the 20th Century', struck your own Armenian people," he said, in a form of words used by a declaration by Pope John Paul II in 2001.

Pope Francis also referred to the crimes "perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism" and said other genocides had followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia.

He said it was his duty to honour the memories of those who were killed.

"Concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it," the Pope added.

Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan welcomed his comments, saying they sent a powerful message to the international community.

But Turkey immediately summoned the Vatican's ambassador to Ankara for an explanation, and then later recalled its ambassador from Rome.

The foreign ministry said it felt "great disappointment and sadness" at the Pope's remarks, which it said would cause a "problem of trust" between them.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted: "The Pope's statement, which is far from the legal and historical reality, cannot be accepted.

"Religious authorities are not the places to incite resentment and hatred with baseless allegations," he added.

Pope Francis, who visited Turkey last year, would have been perfectly conscious that he would offend the moderate Muslim country by his use of the word "genocide".

But the Pope's powerful phrase "concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to bleed without bandaging it" extended his condemnation to all other, more recent, mass killings.

It now remains to be seen how far his remarks will impact upon the Vatican's future relations with moderate Muslim states. It was a bold decision but totally coherent with Pope Francis' philosophy of open discussion about moral arguments.

Pope Francis' focus today on Armenia, the first country to adopt Christianity as its state religion, even before the conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine, serves as yet another reminder of the Catholic Church's widely spread roots in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

'Political conflict'

In 2014, for the first time, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences to the grandchildren of all the Armenians who lost their lives.
But he also said that it was inadmissible for Armenia to turn the issue "into a matter of political conflict".

Armenia says up to 1.5 million people died in 1915-16 as the Ottoman Empire was disintegrating. Turkey has said the number of deaths was much smaller.

Many of the victims were civilians deported en masse to barren desert regions where they died of starvation and thirst. Thousands also died in massacres.

Most non-Turkish scholars of the events regard them as genocide. Among the other states which formally recognise them as genocide are Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Russia and Uruguay.

Turkey maintains that many of the dead were killed in clashes during World War One, and that ethnic Turks also suffered in the conflict.

Related. International media about Pope's speech about the Armenian Genocide. Part 1