Turkey rejects report over so-called 'genocide' request

BRUSSELS

Turkey's Permanent Delegation to the EU Friday rejected the European Parliament's Turkey Progress Report over its request for recognition of so-called Armenian "genocide".

The report, which the EP passed in April by 375 votes in favor and 133 against, arrived at Turkey's Permanent Delegation to the EU on Friday.

According to diplomatic sources from the delegation speaking anonymously due to restrictions on speaking with the media, the report was rejected over its remarks calling for recognition of the 1915 events as so-called "genocide".

Turkey also returned a previous report in spring 2015 for the same reason.

"Turkey will reject the European Parliament Progress Report on Turkey to be voted on Thursday if it includes any mention of an ‘Armenian genocide,’" Turkey’s then-EU Minister Volkan Bozkir said.

Turkey denies the alleged Armenian “genocide”, but acknowledges that there were casualties on both sides during the events during World War I.

In Turkey's view, the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia in 1915 occurred after some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.

Turkey describes the 1915 events as a tragedy for both sides.

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