Biden and Erdogan talk amid tensions over genocide question

US President Joe Biden had a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, as Biden deliberates whether the US should officially recognize the atrocities committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as genocide.

The issue has been a perennial sore spot for US diplomacy with Turkey, past US presidents have avoided the issue to avoid damaging relations. Turkey adamantly rejects any accusations of genocide.

However, statements from the US and Turkish governments about the call, the first between the two presidents, made no mention of the genocide question.

What was said during the call?

Biden told Erdogan that he was interested in overcoming differences of opinion, the White House said in a statement.

"President Biden spoke today with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, conveying his interest in a constructive bilateral relationship with expanded areas of cooperation and effective management of disagreements," the statement said. 

A statement from the Turkish presidency said Biden and Erdogan agreed on "the strategic character of the bilateral relationship and the importance of working together to build greater cooperation on issues of mutual interest."

Erdogan enjoyed a good rapport with former US President Donald Trump. Biden waiting three months after his January inauguration to call Erdogan has been considered a worrying sign in Ankara. 

According to the White House statement, the two presidents have agreed to meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit set to take place in June, in order to have wider talks about bilateral relations.

What is the controversy over Armenian genocide?

Biden had said during his election campaign that he would honor the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, and recognize the atrocities as genocide. Lawmakers and Armenian American activists have been lobbying Biden to make the announcement. 

Officials told the Associated Press that Biden wanted to speak with Erdogan before formally recognizing the Armenian genocide.

Biden will give a speech on Saturday for Armenian Remembrance Day, which marks the 106th anniversary of the Ottoman Empire’s mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenians in 1915. It has been previously reported that Biden could use the word "genocide" during the speech. 

Ankara has said such a recognition would be a blow to the already strained ties between the two NATO allies.

Earlier this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had warned that Biden's move would sour bilateral relations.

"If the United States wants to worsen ties, the decision is theirs," he said.

Asked Friday if Biden would make a statement, State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter told reporters, "when it comes to the Armenian genocide, you can expect an announcement tomorrow."

dvv/wmr (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)