Erdogan sends letter to Armenian patriarch, offers condolences

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commemorates Ottoman Armenians who lost their lives in harsh conditions of World War I, in a letter to patriarch Sahak Mashalian.

President Erdogan says Turkey would never allow anybody in the country to be "treated differently because of their belief and identity."
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President Erdogan says Turkey would never allow anybody in the country to be "treated differently because of their belief and identity."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday sent a letter to the head of Turkey's Armenian patriarchate, assuring equal treatment regardless of belief and identity in the country.

In a letter to patriarch Sahak Mashalian, Recep Tayyip Erdogan commemorated Ottoman Armenians who died during World War I, conveying his condolences to their descendants.

"On this occasion, I wish God's mercy to all Ottoman citizens who lost their lives in this painful period," Erdogan said, adding that Turkey would never allow anybody in the country to be "treated differently because of their belief and identity."

Underlining that Turkey sought to establish a future of "unity, prosperity, and peace," Erdogan said that the solidarity in Turkey was strengthening during "these difficult days" amid the novel coronavirus pandemic across the globe.

"With these thoughts, I once again commemorate the Ottoman Armenians that we lost in World War I with respect and mercy," he concluded.

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