Turkey summons U.S. envoy over Armenian Genocide recognition

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Ankara over a resolution passed by U.S. lawmakers recognizing the Armenian Genocide, RFE/RL reports.

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal conveyed Turkey's dismay over the move to envoy David Satterfield, the Foreign Ministry said on December 13, the day after the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the resolution.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a similar nonbinding measure in October.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian expressed his "gratitude" on behalf of the Armenian people for this "important and historic decision."

Turkish officials have warned that the two votes in the U.S. Congress would deal a blow to the already fragile ties between the two NATO allies, with Vice President Fuat Oktay calling the Senate resolution an attempt at "rewriting history based on lies."

AFP quoted a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Ankara as saying the Senate vote didn't change the administration's position, pointing out that U.S. President Donald Trump had stopped short of calling the mass killing genocide.