Turkey to continue to defend truth despite ‘genocide lies’: Erdoğan

ANKARA

Turkey will continue to defend the truth despite “Armenian genocide lies” and politically-motivated slanders, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, amid reports that United States President Joe Biden is mulling to describe the events of 1915 as a “genocide” in an annual statement on the occasion of the commemoration of the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians during the First World War.

“Turkey will continue to defend the truth against so-called ‘Armenian genocide’ lies and against those who are supporting this slander with political calculations,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying by state-run Anadolu Agency on April 22.

The agency the Presidential Advisory Board convened under the leadership of Erdoğan discussed the 1915 events amid an international campaign for the recognition of these events as a genocide on the eve of the commemoration day, April 24.

Erdoğan’s message came amid reports that Biden is mulling categorizing the 1915 events as a genocide in his first presidential statement on the commemoration.

The advisory board also discussed the need for a new civilian constitution, a political objective first voiced by President Erdoğan. He was quoted as underlining that they want to celebrate the centennial of the Republic of Turkey with a new and civilian charter approved by the people.

The members of the advisory board have expressed their view that the new constitution should be prepared with the widest possible compromise.