Ankara condemns Lebanese president's baseless claims


Turkey Sunday condemned Lebanese President Michel Naim Aoun's baseless and biased claims about the Ottoman Empire.

Releasing a statement, the Foreign Ministry strongly condemned and rejected his "baseless and biased" comments accusing the Ottoman Empire of practicing state terror in the region.

The statement said that Aoun's comments had unfortunate and irresponsible characteristics that did not meet with the level of friendship between the two countries.

"In the history of the Ottoman Empire, there was no ‘state terror.' In contrast to allegations, there was long-lasting stability in the Middle East during the Ottoman era. This period was a time when people from different religions and languages lived together in peace and mutual tolerance," the statement added.

Marking the country's 100th anniversary, President Aoun blamed the Ottoman Empire for state terror before the foundation of Lebanon.