Why have some countries avoided officially calling the Armenian Genocide a genocide?

While most historians agree that the mass deportations and killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during 1915–16 meet the definition of genocide, some countries have declined to officially use that term primarily to avoid damaging their diplomatic relations with Turkey.12

The Turkish government maintains a firm stance against this classification. While acknowledging that atrocities and deportations occurred, officials contend that the events were not a state-directed campaign of extermination. Instead, they argue that the Armenian population was a rebellious element that required pacification during the national security crisis of World War I. Because of Turkey's strategic importance and its sensitivity regarding this historical narrative, nations such as Israel and Great Britain have historically avoided labeling the events as genocide to preserve their political and military ties with the Turkish government.123