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Tragic Armenia massacre was genocide, Pope says

Friday, 24 June 2016 5:46 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 24 June 2016 6:06 PM ]

Pope Francis meets Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan (L) in Yerevan's Presidential Palace, Armenia, June 24, 2016. (Reuters photo)

Pope Francis on Friday condemned the massacre of Armenians a century ago under the Ottoman rule, saying the tragic event amounts to "genocide."

"Sadly this tragedy, this genocide, was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century," the pontiff said as he met with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan at the presidential palace in Yerevan.

The remarks come about a year after the head of the Roman Catholic Church used the term in the Vatican on the centenary of the massacre. Back then, Ankara recalled its envoy to the Vatican for 10 months.

The Turkish government has yet to make an official statement on the latest statements by Pope.

Francis also expressed hope that "humanity will learn from those tragic experiences" to prevent a "return to such horrors."

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 made up 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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