ANKARA
Turkey has recalled its ambassador in Brazil after the Brazilian Federal Senate labeled the deaths of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as genocide, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Monday.
Turkey had previously summoned the Brazilian ambassador to Ankara over the June 2 resolution passed by the senate.
"We condemn the resolution of the Brazilian Senate on the events of 1915, which distorts the historical truths and ignores the law, and consider it as an example of irresponsibility,” the statement said.
"Political decisions of this nature, taken under the influence of the Armenian lobbies, can neither change the historical facts nor the legal norms."
The statement added that Ambassador Huseyin Dirioz had been recalled for consultations.
The events of 1915 took place during World War I when a portion of the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with invading Russian forces and revolted. The subsequent relocation of Armenians in eastern Anatolia resulted in numerous casualties.
Turkey does not dispute that there were casualties among both Armenians and Turks during this time but rejects the "genocide" description.
