Turkey recalls envoy from Luxembourg in genocide row
Turkey has recalled its ambassador from Luxembourg in protest at a recent move by the West European country’s parliament describing the 1915 killing of Armenians as “genocide.”
In a statement on Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Levent Sahinkaya, the envoy to Luxembourg, "has been recalled to Ankara for consultations.”
"We condemn and strongly reject the unfair resolution the Luxembourg parliament has adopted by distorting the historical facts and the law," the statement added.
The development came one day after the parliament of Luxembourg unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces during World War I as “genocide.” It followed a similar move by the European Parliament in April 15.
Last month, Turkey withdrew its ambassadors to Austria and the Vatican over the controversy.
Tensions erupted on April 12, when Pope Francis termed the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces as "the first genocide of the 20th century.”
Ankara rejects the term “genocide” and instead says the 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, who perished between 1915 and 1917, were the casualties of World War I.
Armenia, however, says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed and demands that their death be recognized as genocide.
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