President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized French President Emanuel Macron for recent move on the 1915 events, as he told him to focus on the crimes committed by France during the colonial era.

Addressing a meeting of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara's Kızılcahamam district, Erdoğan said the Armenian relocation was neither genocide nor a great disaster, which took place under troublesome conditions a century ago.

"Millions of Armenians would not be living across Europe, U.S., North Africa, Caucasus, if allegations against us were true," Erdoğan added.

He said that around 2 million civilian Turkish people were killed during the Balkan Wars, while another 2 million civilians were slaughtered in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia during the Russian and Armenian invasions.

Noting that parliaments of the countries are not the proper places to seek the truth, he said historians and scientists should check the archives.

He also criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for declaring April 24 as a day to mark the so-called Armenian genocide.

It was the first major European country to recognize the massacres as genocide in 2001 and Macron has said his decision on a commemoration is designed to show Paris "knows how to look history in the face."

But Erdoğan, who has urged "political novice" Macron to "focus on massacres committed by French troops during the colonial era" on Saturday again denounced the idea.

"Delivering a message to 700,000 Armenians who live in France will not save you, Monsieur Macron," Erdoğan said.

"Learn first, to be honest in politics -- if you are not you cannot win," said Erdoğan, adding he had told Macron his views several times face to face.

Turkish officials have indicated France should look first at its own record, notably in Algeria and its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Rwanda's current government accuses Paris of being complicit in the atrocities committed by the majority Hutu community on minority Tutsis.

Erdoğan named several communities which were exposed to "real genocide" including millions of Muslims in Palestine, Myanmar and Bosnia, and Jews in Europe.

Turkey's position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.

Turkey objects the presentation of the incidents as "genocide" but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia, plus international experts to tackle the issue.

Iraq, Syria, Russia

Erdoğan said the legitimacy of Turkish measures taken against terror threats in Iraq and Syria is indisputable.

Speaking about recent disagreements with the U.S., he said: "We will continue taking steps to clear terror swamps in Syria and procure S-400 and similar security entrenchments."

Following protracted efforts to purchase an air defense system from the U.S. with no success, Ankara decided in 2017 to purchase the Russian S-400 system.

U.S. officials have objected to the deal, claiming that the S-400 would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose U.S. F-35 fighter jets -- which Turkey also has a deal to buy -- to possible Russian subterfuge.

Turkey's EU accession

Regarding Turkey's EU accession, Erdoğan said the country has desired to be a member since 1963 and the AK Party has especially worked hard to fulfill conditions required by the bloc.

"The sole reason why our country still has not become a member is because of the inconsistent policies of some actors," Erdoğan said, adding that Turkey has fulfilled all criteria and expects the EU to show the same cooperation.

He criticized the bloc once again for failing to give the 3+3 billion euros for Syrian refugees as part of the migrant deal.

"The total amount they gave us until now is 1.8 billion euros and we have spent 36 billion euros so far [for Syrian refugees]," Erdoğan said and added: "When we talk they thank us and praise us for our valuable work, but do not fulfill their promises."

The president also said now it is the EU's turn to enhance or end Turkey-EU relations.