German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over his remarks on the German lawmakers of Turkish origin following a resolution over Armenian “genocide.”
German Parliament’s lower house passed a symbolic resolution that labels the killings of Armenians during World War I a “genocide” by Ottoman forces.
President Erdoğan had accused Germans of hypocrisy, said that Germany is the last country to speak on genocide. Erdoğan also lashed out to the German lawmakers of Turkish origin who voted in favor of the resolution. He said the blood of German lawmakers of Turkish origin should be tested.
Merkel said on Tuesday that Erdoğan’s remarks were “incomprehensible.”
“The lawmakers in Germany’s lower house of parliament are freely elected without exception and the accusations and statements which have been made by the Turkish side are incomprehensible,” Merkel said.
The chancellor also that she would push for direct talks between Turkey and Armenia.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Foreign Ministry said that a senior Turkish diplomat was summoned to the ministry to discuss Ankara’s reaction to the Armenian resolution. It was noted during the meeting that the latest comments on German lawmakers were not in line with close ties between the two countries.