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In a surprise move on Friday, US President Biden said that he had told Turkish President Erdogan that he was going to use the term “Armenian Genocide” — marking the first time in forty years that an American president has used that explosive term.
Usually referring to the atrocity as a disaster or a massacre, previous presidents have sidestepped actually terming what happened to the Armenians prior to World War I a “genocide,” the systematic killing of an entire people.
Ronald Reagan was the last American president to call the atrocities committed against the Armenians a “genocide,” back in 1981. However, he quickly backtracked under pressure from Turkey, and no other President since that time has dared to tread on Turkey’s feet by sing that emotion-laden term.
Erdogan has in the past rebuked other countries that have labeled the atrocities against the Armenians a genocide, and Biden’s declaration, which he telegraphed several days ago, will likely strain relations with the difficult NATO ally, which frequently locks horns with Greece over oil and gas rights sovereignty in the Mediterranean.
Tomorrow, April 24, marks the anniversary of the Armenian genocide, when Christian Armenians were massacred, raped, enslaved and driven from their ancestral homelands in what is now Turkey.
In other news emerging on Friday, the Greek government stated that the European Union is not giving Turkey a “blank check” in the Eastern Mediterranean in the measures adopted by EU leaders in a virtual meeting on Friday.
According to reports, the EU is calling on Turkey to refrain from any renewed provocations or unilateral actions in violation of international law, and is also offering Ankara a “phased, proportionate and reversible” way to enhance collaboration between the countries.
The sources said that Turkey “will have to show consistency and continuity and will continue to be evaluated,” and any decisions made along the way will be referred to the European Council in June.
This photo depicts episode of deportation of #Erzurum #Armenia|ns to #Mesopotamia, where they were slaughtered on road. Men were shot to death or killed by axe;women were raped & killed, thirst & starvation; lonely & helpless kids were inevitably condemned to death. #Genocide106 pic.twitter.com/tKRw65NsWO
— Armenia ������🇲 (@armenia)
The White House issued a press release confirming that the American President had spoken with Erdogan earlier today, saying only that “President Joseph R. Biden spoke today with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, conveying his interest in a constructive bilateral relationship with expanded areas of cooperation and effective management of disagreements.
“The leaders agreed to hold a bilateral meeting on the margins of the NATO Summit in June to discuss the full range of bilateral and regional issues.”
No mention was made in that release of the Armenian genocide.
This is a developing story.
Torchlight procession dedicated to 106th anniversary of #ArmenianGenocide has commenced in #Yerevan. #ArmGenocide106 #neveragain pic.twitter.com/86cg1jvGgV
— Armenia 🇦🇲 (@armenia)