The European Union has urged Armenia and Turkey to normalize relations after Pope Francis called the killings against Armenians “the first genocide of the twentieth century”.
EU foreign affairs spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said that the EU encourages the countries “to consider additional, meaningful steps that would pave the way toward full reconciliation”, Associated Press reported.
The first Genocide of the twentieth century was perpetrated against Armenians, Pope Francis said during a Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter's Basilica to mark 100 years since the Armenian Genocide.
The move was followed by Turkey's recalling of its ambassador to the Vatican.
