Turkey angered over pope's comment on Armenian

Turkey: Pope Francis, during his three day visit to Armenia on Friday, aroused the the Turkish government when he described the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman troops during World War I (1915-1916) a genocide with Turkey criticizing the controversial term as a ''crusader mentality''

Turkey has strongly denied the term "genocide," insisting that the figure was exaggerated.

Recalled that Turkey had recalled its ambassador last year, after Francis used the term during a special remembrance Mass in St Peter's Basilica accusing the pope of speaking "nonsense".

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli was quoted as saying on Sunday by the Anadolu news agency, that Pope Francis recent statement was "very unfortunate" and testament to the Holy See's "crusader mentality,"
"The declaration is not objective," added Canikli.

The Vatican had stressed that the Pope neither wanted a disagreement with Turkey concerning the issue.

During a nondenominational prayer service in the Armenian capital Yerevan on Saturday, Pope Francis called on Armenia and Turkey to set aside their differences and also expressed his desire for peace in the Caucasus region.


Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, in 301 AD.
Pope John Paul II was the last pope to visit Armenia in 2001, to mark the 1700th anniversary of the country's conversion.