The recognition of the Armenian genocide by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, has aroused the wrath of the Turkish authorities, who dispute the use of the term.

"The term genocide is nowadays more and more used wrongly and through", denounces the Turkish ambassador Ali Onaner, on Europe 1. 

INTERVIEW

A recognition that does not pass. Last Saturday, US President Joe Biden recognized the Armenian genocide, becoming the first President of the United States to qualify the death of a million and a half Armenians massacred by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. A decision that prompted the wrath of Turkey. Although recognized by twenty countries and many historians, this historical episode remains contested by the Turkish authorities. On Europe 1, Ali Onaner, Turkish ambassador in France, points to an "abusive" use of the term.

"The term genocide is nowadays more and more used wrongly and through, the position of Turkey is that it is necessary to stick to the purely legal definition of this term", he explains. "This does not prevent Turkey from expressing sincere compassion which you can see in particular in the message of condolence sent by the President of the Republic every April 24 to the representatives of the Armenian community in Turkey."

"Today we see an abusive use of this term", he denounces.

"I know that in France you do not accept that we use the term genocide for what happened in Algeria before independence. It is the same in Turkey."

According to the diplomat, these two events do not correspond to the legal definition of genocide. 

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