Pope Francis' description of Armenians Genocide shows "the mentality of the Crusades", Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli said referring to the fact that the Holy Farther described as "Genocide" the 1915 events during his visit to Armenia.

He stated that the Pope’s statement is very unfortunate. It is unfortunately possible to see all the reflections and traces of Crusader mentality in the actions of the papacy and the pope.

He also added that it is not an objective statement, and it does not reflect the truth: “the whole world knows this and so do the Armenians.”

Canikli also added that the main purpose of the Pope’s expression is to corner Turkey.

The reason that Turkey was not accepted in EU and that the Pope made such a statement is the same. They do not take it seriously as there can be no question of accepting it. “Turkey could not have done and would never do such things Deputy PM Nurettin Canikli noted.

Pope Francis used the word "genocide" to describe the mass killings during his speech in Yerevan, a year after infuriating Turkey with a similar statement made at the Vatican.