Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide refers to the killing of some 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire beginning in 1915 -- and still ignites impassioned conflict that threatens diplomatic relations to this day. In the United States, some legislators in Congress have repeatedly tried to gain passage of a resolution that would recognized the killings as genocide. This has sparked lobbying from both Armenians and Turks, and warning from Ankara that relations with Washington would be damaged if such a bill passed and was signed. President Barack Obama promised on the campaign trail that he would recognized the Armenian Genocide if elected, but has not done so in any of his statements marking the anniversary. Though a strong Turkish lobby and network of allies in Congress has kept such a bill from passage in the United States, French legislators pushed through a bill that would make denial of the Armenian Genocide punishable by a year in jail and a $58,000 fine. Turkish newspapers branded French President Nicolas Sarkozy "Satan," and Turkey threatened even further severing of relations after withdrawing its ambassador and suspending military, economic and political ties.

The controversy

During World War I, Armenians were forcibly removed by the Ottoman Empire from Armenia and Anatolia and sent toward Syria. The beginning date of these events, marked as the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, is April 24, 1915. On this date, more than 200 Armenian community leaders were arrested in Constantinople and sent to prison in Anatolia, where most were executed. This sparked the killing of some 1.5 million Armenians between the years of 1915 and 1918, and 1920 to 1923 after World War I. Armenians' wealth was seized, deportations led to starvation, and numerous massacres were reported. Armenians contest that this was a systematic genocide planned by the Young Turks, the ruling party at the time in the Ottoman Empire, and that the postwar stage of the killings were the work of Turkish nationalists. Armenians have since sought recognition of the events as genocide, as the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide wasn't adopted until 1948. Turkey, however, contends that the killings occurred during battle between Armenians and Muslims, and that 1.1 million Ottoman Muslims died alongside the Armenians in an 1885-1919 Armenian revolt in which the minority tried to carve out their own state.

Legislative tussles

Twenty countries and 42 U.S. states have adopted resolutions pushed by the Armenian diaspora to recognize the events of that period as genocide. The Turkish government has vocally contested any such efforts, saying that the resolutions accuse them of a crime they didn't commit. Support for these resolutions in the U.S. Congress have found support but many others not wanting to irk key ally Turkey by "legislating history."

"The circles which consider that Turkey has overreacted on this matter or think that its reaction will only remain in words neither comprehend the essence of the matter, nor understand Turkey and the Turkish people," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in response to France's action. "We find it useful to remind all parties that, in case of the completion of the finalization process for the law, we will not hesitate to implement, as we deem appropriate, the measures that we have considered in advance. Similarly, it must be also known that we will continue to strongly use our right to defend ourselves on a legitimate basis against unfair allegations. No one should doubt our Government’s principled approach in this issue."

"The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many states and international organizations," the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs counters on its website. "The complete catalogue of all documents categorizing the 1915-23 widespread massacre of the Armenian population in Ottoman Empire as a premeditated and thoroughly executed act of Genocide, is extensive."