The Intelligence from The Economist A word in edgewise: Turkey, Armenia and genocide
Apr 29, 2021
Join Piotr Zalewski, Turkey correspondent for The Economist, and Rob Gifford, Senior Editor, as they delve into the contentious recognition of the Armenian genocide and its impact on Turkey-Armenia relations. They discuss the historical grievances that still linger and the skepticism surrounding normalization efforts. Gifford also sheds light on the tightening grip of the Chinese government on Christianity, examining the struggles of Christians in both sanctioned and underground settings amid increasing state control.
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Genocide Recognition
- Biden officially recognized the 1915 Armenian killings as genocide, causing tension with Turkey.
- Turkey disputes the genocide label, impacting US-Turkey relations and potential Turkish-Armenian reconciliation.
Historical Tensions
- The history of the 1915 massacres is a sensitive issue between Armenia and Turkey.
- Armenia views the events as genocide, a view shared by many historians and now the US, while Turkey contests the scale and the designation.
Current Relations
- Turkey and Armenia have non-existent relations, worsened by Turkey's support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
- Turkey's support led to Azerbaijan's victory and a further strain on Turkish-Armenian relations.