ANKARA

Turkey will receive any decision from the European Parliament over the 1915 events with indifference, as the parliament prepares to vote on a draft resolution which recognizes the events as a "genocide."

Addressing the media ahead of his departure for Kazakhstan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Whichever decision the European Parliament takes regarding the 1915 events, it goes in one ear and out the other."

The European Parliament first recognized the 1915 events as a "genocide" in a 1987 resolution, which the parliament is set to recall in a vote on Wednesday -- the centenary of the 1915 events. 

Erdogan said that Turkey had no shadow of "genocide" in its past. "Armenia and the countries that are opening their doors to them should know that Turkey hosts 100,000 Armenians. Does Turkey have any resentment towards Armenians or do our citizens show any negative treatment towards them?" he asked.

He said that Turkey was also hosting Armenians who fled their countries of residence and were now living freely here, able to practice their religion without any hinderance.

He also mentioned efforts of the Turkish state to restore an Armenian Orthodox Church in eastern Van province and asked would a country that took such steps be against Aremenias. "I do not understand such a stance against a country that does these (moves)," he said.

He said that it was not possible for Turkey to call the alleged killings of Armenians in 1915 as a "genocide" and described that part of history as a "sin and a crime" against Armenians.

The 1915 events took place during World War I when a portion of the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the invading Russians and revolted against the empire.

The Ottoman Empire relocated Armenians in eastern Anatolia following the revolts and there were Armenian casualties during the process.

Pope Francis said Sunday that "the first genocide of the 20th century" had struck Armenians, which led Turkey to recall its ambassador to the Vatican and also to summon the Vatican's envoy in Ankara.

 Official visit to Kazakhstan

Erdogan made the remarks before he departed for Kazakhstan to enhance bilateral relations; the president is accompanied by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, Culture Minister Omer Celik, Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz and Transportation Minister Feridun Bilgin.

"Kazakhstan is not just a friend or sister of Turkey, in addition, it is a strategic partner. The first high-level strategic cooperation council between the two countries was established in 2012 and the meeting was held in Turkey," Erdogan said.

The president said that the second meeting of the Turkey-Kazakhstan High-Level Cooperation Council would also be held during this visit.