<p>US President Joe Biden on Saturday recognised the Armenian genocide, a landmark step in defiance of Turkey which strongly rejects the label for the 1915-1917 killings by the Ottoman Empire.</p>.<p>"We remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring," Biden said in a statement, becoming the first US president to use the term in an annual message.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/joe-biden-expected-to-recognise-armenian-genocide-977086.html">Joe Biden expected to recognise Armenian genocide</a></strong></p>.<p>"We affirm the history. We do this not to cast blame but to ensure that what happened is never repeated."</p>.<p>A US official reiterated that the intention was not to place blame on modern Turkey, which the official called a "critical NATO ally."</p>.<p>"It is very much the intention of the statement -- very much the intention of the President --- to be doing this in a very principled way focused on the merits of human rights, and not for any reason beyond that including placing blame," the official told reporters.</p>
<p>US President Joe Biden on Saturday recognised the Armenian genocide, a landmark step in defiance of Turkey which strongly rejects the label for the 1915-1917 killings by the Ottoman Empire.</p>.<p>"We remember the lives of all those who died in the Ottoman-era Armenian genocide and recommit ourselves to preventing such an atrocity from ever again occurring," Biden said in a statement, becoming the first US president to use the term in an annual message.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/joe-biden-expected-to-recognise-armenian-genocide-977086.html">Joe Biden expected to recognise Armenian genocide</a></strong></p>.<p>"We affirm the history. We do this not to cast blame but to ensure that what happened is never repeated."</p>.<p>A US official reiterated that the intention was not to place blame on modern Turkey, which the official called a "critical NATO ally."</p>.<p>"It is very much the intention of the statement -- very much the intention of the President --- to be doing this in a very principled way focused on the merits of human rights, and not for any reason beyond that including placing blame," the official told reporters.</p>