"The sad memories of the past should not hold the present and the future hostage" - Erdogan

On the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message to the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople and the Armenian community. According to the Turkish newspaper “Zhamanak”, the Turkish President specifically stated in his message:

“This year, I respectfully remember the memory of the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in the difficult conditions of the First World War and once again express my condolences to their grandchildren.

In Turkey, people feel the pain of the lives lost due to “subversive actions carried out by armed groups, epidemic diseases” during the war years of the last period of the Ottoman Empire.

On the other hand, we realize that we must build our future together as 86 million people, considering that the sad memories of the past should not hold the present and the future hostage. Those who tried to shake the deep-rooted and strong ties between us by generating hostility from history have not achieved their goals to this day.”