MOSCOW. June 2 (Interfax) - Turkey should follow Germany and recognize the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, global community will welcome this, the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Defense and Security Committee, Frants Klintsevich, said.
"I think that attempts to erase so grave a crime from humankind's memory, as the Turkish leadership continues to do, and unsuccessfully so, clearly does them no credit. Instead, I would recommend that they recognize the genocide as fact, which no doubt would meet a positive global reaction," the senator was quoted by his press office as having said.
"Besides, such recognition could become some kind of a political compass for action by the Turkish leadership today," Klintsevich said.
He was commenting on reports that Bundestag recognized the massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide. According to the senator, Bundestag approved the resolution, despite pressure and threats from Turkey.
"Germany went down the path of all civilized countries by officially recognizing as fact the organizing and carrying out by the authorities of the Ottoman Empire of genocide of the Armenian population on territories under its control," Klintsevich said.