The US House of Representatives is set to vote next week on a resolution to commemorate the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey has opposed the move, with its embassy saying in a statement “Turkey opposes all legislative steps and other official acts that try to render judgment on its history,” adding that the resolution would undermine reconciliation efforts between Turks and Armenians.
The issue of whether the US should recognise the Armenian genocide has been the subject of a diplomatic battle for years.
Former US president Barack Obama pledged to recognise the genocide when first running for president, but never did so in office, although he described it in 2016 as “first mass atrocity of the 20th century”.
“While the State Department does not generally comment on pending legislation, our policy on this issue is clear: The United States recognizes the Meds Yeghern was one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” a State Department spokesperson said.
