Turkey condemns decision of Latvian parliament on 1915 events

ANKARA

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on May 6 condemned a decision taken by the Latvian parliament that recognized the 1915 events as “genocide.”

“The decision adopted by the Latvian parliament today and recognizing the events of 1915 as ‘genocide’ is a null attempt to rewrite history with political motives. We reject and strongly condemn this unfortunate and unlawful decision,” the ministry said in a written statement.

This decision “contradicts the statement that Latvia made regarding the events in its own history on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its occupation and that it is a precondition of international relations to approach historical events honestly and fairly, and in this context, it sets out a double standard,” said the ministry.

“Instead of serving the agenda of some circles that try to create enmity from history, we invite the Latvian parliament to take back this wrong step and to support the efforts to establish a practice of peaceful coexistence in the region, especially between the Turkish and Armenian peoples,” the statement noted.