Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron over France’s decision to commemorate the Armenian Genocide on every April 24.
“Sending a message to 700,000 Armenians in France, Mr. Macron, will not save you. First, you should learn to be honest in politics. It’s not possible for you to win in politics unless you turn to be an honest politician,” Hurriyet Daily News quoted Erdogan as saying at his party’s assessment camp over the weekend.
Macron is new to politics and does not know “these businesses," Erdogan said, adding he has discussed the issue with the French president a number of times.
He doubled down on Turkey’s stance that the relocation of Armenians "was neither a genocide nor a great disaster; it was a tragic event that took place under troublesome conditions a century ago."
France held its first national day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide on 24 April, fulfilling a pledge by Macron.
The French leader announced the commemoration at a meeting with representatives of the country’s large Armenian community in February, honoring a promise made during his 2017 presidential campaign.
Macron said “we commemorate the Armenian Genocide to make sure that history does not repeat its mistakes.”