Great Britain, London, 30 January / Trend corr. G.Ahmadova / The statement on the so-called Armenian genocide committed during the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1918 is baseless. Furthermore, the policy of Armenians directed to recognize this fact will not help to restore the Armenian-Turkish relations, the Turkish diplomat considers.
"The statements of Armenians on the so-called genocide of Armenians is not real and never assist to restore the relations between the both countries," Bahadir Kaleli, the Turkish General Counsel in Britain, reported to Trend on 30 January.
Armenian historians stated that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against 1.5mln Armenians from 1915 to 1918. One of the conditions Turkey put forward in restoration of diplomatic relations with Armenia is that Yerevan must refuse from the genocide against Armenians resolution.
"One of the key factors which worsen the relations between Turkey and Armenia is strained approach of Armenians to the historic events," Kaleli said.
Touching upon the historical facts, Kaleli said that about 5mln of Turks were killed and over 5mln were deported from their own lands by Armenians before establishment of the Turkish Republic. "More than 1mln Turks were killed from 1914 to 1923," Kaleli said.
The current Armenian State, according to the diplomat, differs with its conservative approach to the events in 1915 and turned the so-called Armenian genocide to the key issue of the country foreign policy. "If we see some changes in the approach of Armenian state to the events in 1915 everything will be simpler," Kaleli stated.