Religion Roundup
Orthodox Leader: World Must Recognize Turkish Genocide Against Armenians
Associated Press
May 8, 2008
VATICAN CITY - In a Vatican audience with Pope Benedict, the head of Armenia's Orthodox Church has urged all nations to recognize that Turks committed genocide against Armenians early last century.
Karekin II said, "Denial of these crimes is an injustice that equals the commission of the same."
Benedict acknowledged "the severe persecutions suffered by Armenian Christians."
His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, visited Armenia in 2001 and paid his respects to the Armenians killed in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
Armenia says an estimated 1.5 million of its people were victims of genocide in a 1915-23 campaign to force them out of eastern Turkey. The Turkish government denies that Turks committed genocide, saying Armenians were killed in internal fighting among ethnic groups as the empire collapsed.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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