Main Opposition Chp Criticizes Pope, European Parliament Over Genocide Recognition

- Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has criticized both Pope Francis and the European Parliament for recognizing mass killings of Ottoman Armenians as genocide, saying that such moves will not help the reconciliation between Turks and Armenians.

“The statements of Pope Francis and the adoption of a resolution calling on EU countries to recognize the Armenian genocide are unacceptable, as they constitute political moves that do not serve for the reconciliation of the two people,” said a statement issued by Kılıçdaroğlu on April 16.

Announced by Deputy CHP leader Murat Özçelik, Kılıçdaroğlu’s statement came a day after the European Parliament approved a resolution calling on Turkey to recognize the 1915 killings as genocide, also demanding that EU countries do the same if they have not done so yet.

Kılıçdaroğlu stated that Pope Francis’ use of the term genocide was “conceptually wrong” and did not help reconcile the peoples of Turkey and Armenia.

“In 1915, a great tragedy that caused a major trauma in the memory of Armenians as well as of Muslims took place. Removing this trauma from this great tragedy will not be possible through accusatory and imputative political statements” he said.

CHP leader recalled that everybody’s task, including religious leaders, should be to find ways to heal wounds, instead of spreading conflict to younger generations, and called on everyone responsible to contribute to building bridges between the two societies and avoid using the issue for “daily political gains and prejudices.”

“Of course, building the future in peace requires a sincere remembrance of the past. But the way to do this is not to limit a multidimensional historical tragedy into the concept of genocide, but to provide ways for historians to deal with the historical facts in an objective manner,” he said.

‘CHP against racism and abuse of religion for politics’

Kılıçdaroğlu also stated that his CHP will continue to “stand against racism and the abuse of religion for politics,” which will be necessary to let the two people understand historical facts in all dimensions by the people of Turkey and Armenia.

Although he criticized the pope and the European Parliament, Kılıçdaroğlu also blamed the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for allowing the situation to develop in this way. He said “consecutive statements” from international actors against Turkey were a result of the AKP’s shortsighted foreign policies.