Turks angry at US genocide claim

People in Istanbul have taken to the streets to protest a US Congressional panel's resolution that labeled the Ottoman-era massacre of Armenians as genocide.

The crowd of protesters denounced the resolution, chanting anti-US slogans on Friday.

In a similar demonstration, people gathered outside the US embassy in Ankara during which a crowd of around one hundred laid a black wreath that read "We did not commit genocide, we defended the motherland."

The resolution which passed by a 23-22 margin in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, calls on US president Barack Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding of Armenians' killing as "genocide" and to label the mass killings as such in his annual statement on the issue.

Having recalled its ambassador immediately after the panel's resolution was adopted, Ankara warned Washington against a full vote at the House of Representatives.

Turkey is "seriously disturbed" that Obama's administration "did not put enough weight" behind efforts to prevent the resolution from being passed by the Foreign Affairs Committee, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

"We expect the US administration to make more efficient efforts from now on," he said.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed during World War I as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, a claim supported by several other countries.

Turkey however argues 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in what was a civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120135§ionid=351020204.