Erdogan calls on Biden to reverse Armenian "genocide" statement

Turkish protesters protested U.S. President Joe Biden's declaration of the 1915 events in Ottoman Empire as "genocide" of Armenians, in Ankara, Turkey, on April 26, 2021. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

The U.S. president needed "to look in the mirror" for his country's history before accusing the Ottoman Empire of "genocide," Turkish President Erdogan said.

ANKARA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called on U.S. President Joe Biden to immediately reverse his declaration that designated the atrocities to Armenians during World War I as "genocide."

"I hope the U.S. President will turn back from this wrong step as soon as possible," Erdogan told reporters in his first comments since Biden's statement.

U.S. soldiers stand guard on the rooftop of the U.S. embassy building as Turkish protesters demonstrate in front of the embassy in Ankara, Turkey, on April 26, 2021. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

Biden on Saturday recognized the mass killing against Armenians more than a century ago as a "genocide."

He is the first U.S. president to use the term "genocide" in describing the 1915 events.

Erdogan said Biden's statement was "unfounded and unfair" and would hinder bilateral ties.

Turkish protesters dressed in Ottoman costumes and armed with swords protested in front of the U.S. embassy against U.S. President Joe Biden's declaration of the 1915 events as "genocide" of Armenians, in Ankara, Turkey, on April 26, 2021. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua)

"We believe that these comments in the statement were included due to pressure from radical Armenian groups and anti-Turkish circles. But this situation does not reduce the destructive impact of these comments in bilateral ties," he stated.

The U.S. president needed "to look in the mirror" for his country's history before accusing the Ottoman Empire of "genocide," the Turkish leader added.

"If you say genocide, then you have to look at yourselves in the mirror and make an evaluation. The Native Americans, I don't even need to mention them. They are all out there," Erdogan noted.