Armenia–Turkey relations

An Istanbul court on Feb. 13 ruled to release two suspects from the gendarmerie in the Black Sea province of Trabzon in the case into the killing of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in 2007. 

The Netherlands and Turkey have suspended negotiations for the normalization of bilateral relations, with the former officially announcing the withdrawal of its ambassador to Turkey, who has already been absent for more than 10 months since tension erupted between the two countries last year.

Speaking at a hearing of the case on Dec. 5, former Trabzon Gendarmerie Intelligence head Lt. Col. Metin Yıldız said the authorities knew of a plot to assassinate Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink six months before he was shot dead in 2007.

A notorious Greek assassin jailed for life over the killings of 11 people including US, British and Turkish embassy staff, was back in prison on Nov. 11 after a controversial two-day leave.

In the latest episode in the diplomatic skirmish between Germany and Turkey, the police in Spain, acting on a request from the Turkish authorities, have arrested a Turkish-German writer on vacation in Spain.

Turkey has strongly condemned the burning of the Turkish flag during demonstrations that took place on April 24 in Athens regarding the anniversary of the 1915 events.

On this date in 1915, hundreds of Armenian intellectuals – Christians, for the most part – were forcibly deported from the Turkish capital of Constantinople. The number soon escalated into the thousands, and most were eventually murdered.

Turkey has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump over his statement to commemorate the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians in 1915, voicing expectations that the new administration will not lend credence to "a one-sided historical narrative." 

Turkey has reiterated its call on Russia to remove all sanctions imposed on trade and to ease visa restrictions to further boost economic cooperation, suggesting the normalization process between the two countries was not progressing at the desired pace. 

Turkey may leave the Creative Europe Program due to a continuing row over the mass murder of Armenians in 1915, Culture and Tourism Minister Nabi Avcı has said, adding that Turkey would not be harmed by the decision.