Turkish Press Review

ISTANBUL (AA) - Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Friday's papers devoted their first pages to one main story: the German parliamentary resolution recognizing the deaths of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as "genocide".

"Historic mistake," was VATAN's headline, which wrote that Turkey's parliament and Foreign Ministry had strongly criticized the resolution.

The paper said the parliamentary groups of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said in a joint declaration that the resolution had hurt the Turkish nation.

"We, as representatives of the noble Turkish nation, do not accept [this resolution, and] regret and strongly condemn the unjust decision of the German federal parliament based on the deportation [of Armenians] carried out by the Ottoman Empire in 1915," the paper quoted from the declaration.

"Disgraceful resolution," was MILLIYET's headline, quoting the Turkish Foreign Ministry, which, the paper said, slammed the German parliament’s resolution and described the vote as "disgraceful".

"This resolution is an example of ignorance and disrespect for the law, politicizing history, preventing free discussion on historical issues and trying to impose the self-created taboo of Armenian narrative as an indisputable fact," the paper quoted from a written statement from the ministry.

A large majority in the German parliament approved a resolution Thursday that says the Ottoman government of 1915 carried out “systematic genocide” against Armenians, as well as other Christian minorities.

Turkey denies the alleged genocide, but acknowledges that there were casualties on both sides during the events taking place during World War I.

"Shame on you," was HURRIYET's headline.

The paper said the German parliament approved a resolution, which would inflict a deep suffering on bilateral relations dating back to hundreds of years ago.

Pointing out that the resolution was approved almost unanimously, the paper said only one lawmaker from German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic bloc, Bettina Kudla, had voted against the motion.

She said it was not the duty of parliament to vote on historical events that took place in other countries.

"2016 Friendly-cide," was HABER TURK's headline saying that the ally Germany had “destroyed” the well-established relations between the two countries started 135 years ago.

"Decision taken in the German parliament will seriously affect our relationship," the paper cited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

However, Merkel said that despite differences on several issues, the two countries enjoyed strategic relations, YENI SAFAK published.

“Germany and Turkey are bounded by many links. We may have different views on a number of issues, but the breadth of our relations, our friendly, and strategic ties are so great,” the paper quoted her as saying during a news conference in Berlin.

The paper also noted that Merkel did not attend the vote Thursday over the resolution submitted by the parliamentary groups of the ruling Christian Democrats, its coalition partner Social Democrats, and the opposition, Green Party.

"Dummkopf!" was AKSAM's headline, which the paper translates from German as "stupid".

The paper wrote: "Germans who introduced the term 'genocide' to the world has now approved a stupid resolution."

It was also criticized in the paper that 10 lawmakers of Turkish origin in German parliament had voted yes to the resolution, while Oliver Wittke, from Merkel’s party, abstained.

SABAH ran the headline "Comrade stabs in the back”.

"It seems that Turkish soldiers who fought for Germany [in the World War I] lost their lives for nothing," the paper wrote.

What happened in 1915-16 in Anatolia is also the responsibility of the then-German Empire, it added.

STAR published other remarks of Turkish politicians.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus described Thursday’s vote as “null and void” and said Ankara would not recognize the resolution.

He called for scientists and historians to be allowed to reach a conclusion on the deaths, not politicians.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “The way [for those] to close dark pages in their histories is not to defame the history of other countries through parliamentary resolution," the paper reported.

"The history of the Turkish nation is clear. There is no single event in our history that we feel ashamed of," the paper quoted Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying.