Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement on April 24, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
Erdogan's statement was conveyed to the Armenian community through the patriarchate.
The statement was read during a mass at the Surp Hagop (Saint Jacob) Armenian Church on the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul by Armenian Patriarchal Vicar Priest Grigor Tamatyan, according to the local Agos newspaper.
As every year, Erdogan once again began his message with the same wording, stating: “This year as well, I respectfully remember the Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives under the difficult conditions of the First World War, and I extend my condolences to their grandchildren.”
The President of Türkiye stated that during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, “the peoples of the Ottoman Empire suffered great pain due to occupations, clashes, rebellions, the actions of bandits, and diseases.”
“Unfortunately, Ottoman Armenians, who lived under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and made valuable contributions in various fields, also suffered great pain,” Erdoğan said, claiming that “the Republic of Türkiye has been able to understand how to overcome these pains without forgetting them.”
The President of Türkiye stated that they aim to leave future generations a legacy in which “truth is connected to conscience, rather than to painful memories.”
“As an 86-million-strong nation, we will build our future together and the legacy we will leave to our grandchildren. With these thoughts, I once again share in the pain experienced by Armenian society in the past and respectfully commemorate the memory of all Ottoman citizens who lost their lives,” the concluding part of Erdogan’s message states.
