ISTANBUL. – After receiving a protest note from the American side, Turkey’s Bank of Agriculture and Central Bank sent their defense statement to California Federal Court, where the heirs of Armenian Genocide survivors have filed compensation lawsuits against these banks.     

The joint defense statement notes that the Bank of Agriculture and the Central Bank do not bear any responsibility for the property seized from the Armenians in 1915 because the Republic of Turkey was established in 1923, Turkey’s Haberturk daily writes.

The lawsuit, which was filed past year against these banks and under American Armenian Alex Bakalian’s guidance, states that in 1923 the lands—in Adana, Turkey—belonging to their families were transferred to the Bank of Agriculture. On one of the 4 plots of these lands the Incirlik military base was built, which is leased to US. The lawsuit demands the value of these lands, which comprise $63 million US, and part of the income received from the lease of Incirlik, which totals $100 million.