Turkey blasts pope over 'genocide' (2)

(ANSAmed) - Istanbul, June 27 - The Turkish government attacked Pope Francis on Monday after the pontiff reiterated during a visit to Armenia at the weekend that he considered the mass killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I to be a genocide. In a statement released by the Turkish foreign ministry, Ankara said it was "disappointed" by the pope's words and accused him of "discrimination based on religion" and of not having an "conciliatory approach". At the weekend Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli accused the pope of having a "crusades mentality". Francis also sparked rage in Turkey when he referred to the mass killings as genocide last year.