EU's Schulz told Turkey he understood reaction to genocide vote: sources

European Parliament President Martin Schulz told Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on April 17 he "understands" Ankara's reaction to a vote calling the 1915 mass killing of Armenians a genocide, the Hurriyet Daily News reports quoting sources in the prime minister's office. 

In a telephone call, Schulz also said the vote was made in his absence, the sources, who declined to be identified, said. There was no immediate comment from Schulz's office.

The European Parliament backed a motion on April 15 to call the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a genocide, days after Pope Francis triggered fury in Turkey by using the same term.