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Erdoğan-Biden's June meeting potential venue for rescuing ties
April 30, 2021The statement of U.S. President Joe Biden last Saturday in regards to the 1915 events has generated more tension in bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States
The statement of U.S. President Joe Biden last Saturday in regards to the 1915 events has generated more tension in bilateral relations between Turkey and the United States. For years now, the issue has been a fault line between the two nations. Especially after the 1990s, resolutions have been introduced almost every year by members of Congress to recognize the 1915 events as “genocide.” Every year these resolutions created short-term tension in relations. In most circumstances, the resolutions were halted at the request of the administrations. In 2019, in the midst of Turkey’s operations in Syria against the PKK terrorist group’s Syria affiliate, the YPG, the resolutions concerning this issue were introduced and quickly passed from both chambers of Congress. Now, two years later, Biden’s statement has created new friction in bilateral ties. His statement generated a major reaction in Turkey. The issue has been a sensitive topic for Turkish people for many years now. In addition to the public reaction, members of Parliament representing different political parties made a joint declaration denouncing the statement. The members of the Turkish administration also expressed their dismay about the decision. It is clear that this will be another source of public frustration and anger in Turkey toward the U.S. It will not come as a surprise if there is an increase in anti-American sentiment following the statement.
A day before the statement was made, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke over the phone with Biden. This was the first phone call between the two presidents since Biden’s electoral victory in November 2020. The readouts were fairly short but state the matters clearly. There is no question
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