Turkey demands explanation from Tehran regarding Iranian Vice President’s statement on Armenian GenocideAugust 28, 2010 - 12:44 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Alarmed by reports that Iran’s Vice President said the events of 1915 constituted a genocide, Turkey is seeking high-level explanation from Tehran, Hurriyet Daily News reported. “A hundred years ago the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against a certain number of Armenians,” Hamid Baghaei said during ‘Iran, a bridge of success’ conference on Wednesday. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spoke late Friday with his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, who told him that “Iran's position was in line with Turkey's stance on the issue.” “I asked for an explanation from Mr. Mottaki,” Davutoglu told journalists in the central Anatolian province of Karaman on Friday. During their telephone conversation, Mottaki told Davutoglu that the conference attended by the Iranian Vice President was about World War II, not about World War I and Iran’s position on the issue hasn’t changed. But Davutoglu seems unsatisfied with Mottaki’s assurance. He said he told his Iranian counterpart that Turkey was awaiting an explanation from Baghaei himself. “Mottaki told me that Baghaei will make an explanation,” Davutoglu said. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia Security Council chief traveling to Qatar Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan will travel on a working visit to Qatar. Armenian Foreign Minister regrets “tragic loss” of Iranian counterpart The Armenian Foreign Ministry has expressed shock over the death of the Iranian President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Armenian PM sends condolences to Iran Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a message of condolence to the Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Armenia, Turkey discuss restoration of historic bridge The meeting took place on May 17 in Ashgabat on the sidelines of an international conference of ministers of culture. |