Germany nixes Armenian ‘genocide’ concert in Istanbul

BERLIN — Germany’s Foreign Ministry has halted plans for a classical concert about the Armenian genocide that was due to be held at its consulate in Istanbul.

The ministry confirmed media reports Tuesday that it had informed the Dresden Symphony Orchestra the venue wouldn’t be available Nov. 13.

The orchestra had planned to perform “Aghet ,” a special concert commemorating the mass killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I.

The killings are viewed by many scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century and Germany’s Parliament recently passed a resolution describing them as such, much to Turkey’s anger.

German news agency dpa reports that the orchestra had invited Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim to the concert.

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The Associated Press