Russia expressed outrage at Turkey's statements on the anniversary of the Crimean Tatars ' relocation

28 May 2020


Moscow considers outrageous the parallels drawn in Turkey between Stalin's repression of the Crimean Tatars and Russia's policy towards the Peninsula, the Russian MFA reports.


During the month of May, as the Agency reports, a series of actions on the forced resettlement of Crimean Tatars in 1944 has taken place in Turkey.


Most of these actions were held online due to the coronavirus pandemic "but even during these hard times the anti-Russian extremists could not refrain from unseemly allegations about this tragic issue."


"It is particularly alarming that they were joined by a number of Turkish officials that dared to make outrageous parallels between Stalinist reprisals and Russia’s current policy towards Crimea. Obviously, such conduct does not help resolve the task of further building multifaceted partnership set forth by the presidents of Russia and Turkey," the statement reads.


It is emphasized that such actions "contradict the spirit of friendly bilateral relations, the centenary of which is being celebrated these days."


In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that "connivance at the anti-Russian campaign does not match its own approach to its history. We are urging the Turkish public and political circles as well as Turkish residents with Russian ties, to take an objective view of the complicated events of the 20th century.  We are confident that mournful dates do not serve the current political situation but promote rapprochement based on common historical memory and destiny."

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: Creative Commons