We condemn in the strongest terms the designation of April 24 as a “remembrance day” by the French President Macron through a Presidential decree.

The jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and the French Constitutional Council ruled that the events of 1915 constitute a legitimate subject of debate. According to universal law, the imposition of Armenian theses through political initiatives is against the freedom of expression.

President Macron’s decision has deeply hurt the Turkish community of more than 700 thousand living in France.

It is inevitable that this stance of France, which is far from being amicable, will negatively affect its relations with Turkey.

Turkey proposes the establishment of a Joint Historical Commission to investigate this 104-year-old event.

Macron, although being aware of all above points and trying to ingratiate himself with Armenian circles to win votes in election campaign, will be remembered as a populist leader who politicized history.

It is a historical fact that France, which invaded some parts of Anatolia during the Turkish War of Independence, encouraged Armenian rebels to inhumanely massacre civilians.

Turks and Muslims living in France and all around the world will never forget this disrespect to the memory of more than 500 thousand Turkish and Muslim Ottoman citizens who were massacred by Armenian rebels.

This decision taken by Macron, for the sake of winning votes and in order to satisfy the present extensions of terrorist organisations in France which martyred Turkish diplomats in the past, does not accord with our alliance relations as well.

This attitude will thus be responded on each and every occasion.