ANKARA

Türkiye’s parliament on Thursday rejected the adoption of a resolution regarding Assyrians and Chaldeans by the French National Assembly.

After deliberations on the agenda items proposed by political parties in Türkiye’s parliament, a memorandum titled, Declaration Against the Decision of the French National Assembly, bearing the signature of parliament’s speaker Numan Kurtulmus was presented for reading.

The memorandum expressed disapproval of the French National Assembly's April 29, 2024 decision regarding Assyrians and Chaldeans, denouncing it as prejudiced and devoid of legal and historical foundation.

"We regret and strongly condemn the resolution regarding Assyrians and Chaldeans, adopted by the French National Assembly on April 29, 2024, which lacks legal and historical basis and is based on prejudices," it said.

It was also stated that there is no justification for baseless accusations against Türkiye by those who have not truly faced their own colonial and bloody past.

"We vehemently reject the distortion of history for political motives. We believe that parliaments should strive to foster friendship and cooperation among countries and peoples, rather than deriving enmity from history, and to create a more peaceful world for current and future generations.

"Making decisions about the history of other countries, attempting to judge other nations is not the task of parliaments. Parliaments cannot replace historians and judges. Reminding these truths once again, we strongly condemn this malicious, unjust, and illegal decision, and urge the French National Assembly and other authorities to act in accordance with international law with the spirit of friendship and alliance," the memorandum added.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi from Istanbul