The Turkish foreign ministry expressed "regret" and "indignation" on opening a monument to Armenian composer Komitas, who also symbolizes the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in 1915. As reported by "Mediamax" agency, the Turkish foreign ministry statement calls the memorial "a monument of hatred." The document also notes "the negative vestige," appeared resulting from the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France in 2001, is still present in the Turkish-French relations.