MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Turkey has summoned Vatican’s ambassador as Pope Francis referred to the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide on Sunday, local media reported.
According to the Hurriyet newspaper, the envoy was called in after Pope Francis earlier in the day described the killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as “the first genocide of the 20th century,” quoting a statement by Pope John Paul II made in 2001.
The Armenian genocide has been recognized by a number of countries, including Canada, France and Russia, as well as the majority of US states and some international organizations.
Turkey has refused to recognize the genocide. There are currently no diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1993.
