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There is a new turn of events in the diplomatic crisis between the Holy See and Turkey over the massacre of Armenians in 1915-1917, which Pope Francis defined a "genocide" on Sunday, Agi.it writes.

"The pope ... has chosen one side's pain over the other and ignored the pain of Turkish and Muslim people who lost their lives during World War l," read a statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday.

From Mongolia, Prime Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu attacked the Pope's position as "contradictory and discriminating" because the expression "genocide" is a specific legal concept while Ankara has always claimed that the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire resulted from a conflict in which many Muslims also died, the news outlet says, adding that in a note, the Turkish Embassy to the Holy See defined Pope Francis's words "an unacceptable political manipulation."

The Pope has not reconsidered his statements but recalled that "the path of the Church is also that of frankness: to say things freely" during his homily at the Domus Santa Marta on Monday. For Christians, just like for the Apostles after the resurrection of Jesus, there is no alternative to speaking out bothersome truths: the Church, the Pope said, has the moral obligation to speak "with frankness and without fear."

Ankara's reaction to the Pope's words appear to be out of proportion, said Italian Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni. "The harsh tones used by Turkey do not seem to be justified, considering that roughly 15 years ago, Pope John Paul II expressed the same judgment," Mr Gentiloni said during his visit to Barcelona.

He added: "Italy has often expressed its solidarity and closeness to the Armenian people and government for the violence and the suffering inflicted upon them 100 years ago. As for the legal recognition of the genocide, we have always invited the two countries, Turkey and Armenia, both of which are friends of Italy, to dialogue in order to avoid that this situation hinder a more relaxed situation."

The issue is extremely delicate, especially in light of the international commemoration of the centennial of the genocide on April 24, which has already sparked controversies between Turkey and Armenia. This is the reason why the European Commission has asked Turkey and Armenia to make all possible efforts on the path to reconciliation, in order to "normalise relations as soon as possible," the news outlet concludes.