Belgium reaffirmed its recognition of the Armenian Genocide on Thursday (Source: Photolure)

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—After Belgium’s adoption of a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide on Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian has welcomed the decision, calling it “commendable”.

“Seventeen years ago the Belgian Senate recognized the Armenian Genocide by a special resolution. On June 18 this year the Prime Minister of Belgium reaffirmed the position of the Government on the unconditional recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in a statement released on Friday by the Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“The resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide adopted by the Chamber of Deputies completes the process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Belgium,” Nalbandian said. “We welcome the unconditional recognition of the Armenian Genocide by legislative and executive authorities of the Kingdom of Belgium.”

Turkey, meanwhile, has warned that the adoption of the resolution will have a deep impact on bilateral relations between Turkey and Belgium.

According to a written statement released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday, Turkey has once more been “unfairly indicted, historical facts have been distorted and law has been ignored.”

“The decision was part of a campaign aimed at defaming Turkish identity and history, which had started early in 2015, while recalling Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel’s recognition of the deaths of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces during World War I as genocide in remarks delivered in June,” the statement reads.

“The grave picture that has emerged with the July 23 decision of the Chamber of Deputies [was] met with regret by the Belgian Turkish community and has deeply impacted our bilateral relations,” the ministry said, questioning why Belgian deputies spared time on the issue instead of dealing with serious challenges Europe faces, including an economic crisis.

“It should be understood that this and similar decisions that have been made do not serve the Turkish-Armenian conciliation in any way,” the ministry said.

“We strongly condemn this decision unjustly accusing our history and ignoring historical facts and the memory of Turkish people,” the statement concluded.