Türkiye's Foreign Ministry lashed out at a controversial decision by the Chilean Chamber of Deputies. The ministry said the chamber's resolution on recognizing the events of 1915 as "genocide" is "null and void," the ministry said Thursday. "Parliaments have no authority to interpret or pass a judgment on history," a ministry statement said.
It added that the resolution is against the 1948 U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which stipulates that only a competent court can determine the crime of genocide. The resolution was adopted on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected "one-sided" statements on the events of 1915 "that have been made to satisfy certain radical circles." These statements, which misrepresent historical events, also contradict international law. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has clearly stated that the events of 1915 are a legitimate subject of debate," the ministry said in a statement.
Türkiye, on the events of 1915, says 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. Türkiye objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide," describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara has repeatedly proposed creating a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia, as well as international experts, to tackle the issue.
