WASHINGTON: The United States irked its key ally Turkey on Monday, criticizing 1915 massacres in Armenia as “one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” although stopping short of calling them genocide.
The issue is a politically fraught one in the United States especially among Armenian Americans.
Estimates say the killings number between half a million and 1.5 million.
The largest group is in the Los Angeles area, and includes pop star and actress Cher, and the Kardashians of reality television fame.
Former president Barack Obama had promised to recognize the killings as a genocide but over eight years in office, in need of cooperation from Turkey, he did not follow through.
New President Donald Trump issued a statement saying bluntly that “today, we remember and honor the memory of those who suffered during the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century.”
Many of the diaspora landed in countries from France to Argentina to the United States.
“Beginning in 1915, one and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire,” Trump said.
“I join the Armenian community in America and around the world in mourning the loss of innocent lives and the suffering endured by so many.
“We must remember atrocities to prevent them from occurring again,” he continued.
“We welcome the efforts of Turks and Armenians to acknowledge and reckon with painful history, which is a critical step toward building a foundation for a more just and tolerant future.” (APP)