Yerevan to Push for Further Recognition of Genocide by Ottoman Empire

Armenian presidential spokesman Vladimir Akopyan said that on the international scale, the recognition of Armenian genocide by other countries is a continuous political and diplomatic process.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Armenia is continuously working on promoting the recognition of mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in World War I as genocide, Armenian presidential spokesman Vladimir Akopyan told Sputnik on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the German Bundestag voted to recognize the mass killing of Armenians in 1915-1916 as genocide, while also recognizing Germany's co-responsibility as the Ottoman Empire’s then key ally.

"On the international scale, the recognition of genocide by other countries is a continuous political and diplomatic process. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is constantly working on this issue," Akopyan said.

Some 1.2 million Armenians were killed or starved to death at the hands of the Ottoman authorities during and after World War I. Ankara insists those killed in the 1915 mass killings died as a result of a civil war and maintains that Turks were also victimized.

More than 20 countries, including 12 members of the European Union, recognize the killings as genocide.