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German vote on Armenian Genocide: Turkey vows to take steps in response

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara will take retaliatory measures after the German parliament voted to recognize as ‘genocide’ the 1915 Armenian massacre. Turkey has already recalled its ambassador to Germany in protest, Russia Today reports.

Ambassador Huseyin Avni Karslioglu is expected to fly back to Turkey on Thursday afternoon according to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

Turkey has also decided to summon Germany’s charge d’affaires to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara following the vote.

The Turkish government reacted furiously to the decision made by the German parliament to pass the motion, which was almost unanimous, with just one person voting against and another abstaining.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently on a state visit to Kenya, has said the German resolution will seriously impact relations between the two countries.

He also added that following the return of ambassador Karslioglu to Turkey, the government would discuss what steps Ankara will take in response.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim condemned the move and said in a speech in the Turkish capital Ankara that a “racist Armenian lobby” was responsible for the decision made by the German parliament.

The ruling AK Party in Turkey said the move had seriously damaged relations between the two countries, while Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus was equally scathing, calling the resolution a “historic mistake.”

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