Turkish opposition leader Bahçeli slams Macron

ANKARA- Anadolu Agency

A Turkish opposition leader on April 11 slammed France for trying to pass judgment on the 1915 events between the Ottoman Empire and Armenians.       

"French President Macron designating April 24 a day of commemoration through a presidential decree is a shameful disaster," said Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).       

"If France is in the mood for commemoration, it might commemorate the victims in Africa it slaughtered or the blood it spilled here in Çukurova a century ago and then apologize to the Turkish nation," he added, referring to France's colonialist past and in the wake of World War II.       

Turkey's position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces.

A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.  Turkey objects to the presentation of the incidents as "genocide" but describes the 1915 events as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties. 

Speaking at a party gathering in the capital Ankara, Bahçeli addressed Turkey's recent local elections- including the undecided election in the metropolis of Istanbul- and elections in Israel, resulting in another term for controversial leader Benjamin Netanyahu.       

"Organized irregularities" have been found in Istanbul's Büyükçekmece and Maltepe districts, and they are "impossible to hide," said Bahçeli.       

"If the results evolve in a way that hurts the public conscience, a repeat election in Istanbul will be considered as a solution," Bahçeli said.       

On the Israeli elections, Bahçeli drew a gloomy picture for the Mideast.       

"The elections in Israel and the position of Netanyahu is a sign that the dark scenarios for our region will grow even darker," he said.