'Biden's remarks on 1915 events are null and void'

ANKARA

The leader of a major party in Turkey criticized a recent statement by US President Joe Biden on the events of 1915.

"Biden's so-called remarks of 'genocide' is null and void in the eyes of the Turkish nation. His written statement just consists of a piece of paper," Devlet Bahceli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), told his parliamentary group.

Bahceli called on Biden to stop trying to "defame" Turkish history with accusations of genocide. "You [US] aren't even the last country to slander the Turkish nation with so-called genocide," he said.

The MHP chief added that Biden had caused irreparable damage to the spirit of alliance with the statement, asserting that the US leader "has clearly shown that friendship is a lie and strategic partnership is a fairy tale."

On Saturday, Biden called the events of 1915 "genocide," breaking with a long-held tradition by American presidents of refraining from using the term.

Bahceli underlined that Turkey-US relations were at a historical crossroads.

"Activating the S-400 [missile system] and collecting the money we paid for the F-35 project should be our next order of business. Our support for every decision to be taken by our state and government is in full," he added.

Turkish stance on 1915 events

Turkey's position on the events of 1915 is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties.

Turkey objects to the presentation of these incidents as "genocide," describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.

Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Turkey and Armenia as well as international experts to tackle the issue.

In 2014, Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- Turkey's then-prime minister and now president -- expressed his condolences to the descendants of Armenians who lost their lives in the events of 1915.