Turkey recalls its ambassador to Canada

ISTANBUL, Turkey, April 22 (UPI) -- Turkey recalled its ambassador to Canada in protest of a federal minister who attended a ceremony commemorating the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians.

Ambassador Rafet Akgunay was recalled to Istanbul for consultations after Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney attended a ceremony to commemorate the 1915 armed uprising, which Canada recognized as genocide in 2004, the daily Hurriyet newspaper said.

Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper also reportedly sent a message of support to the Armenian event Kenney attended, CNNTurk reported.

Turkey has consistently denied various international claims of genocide, and maintains 300,000 Armenians and the same number of Turks were killed in the Armenians' quest for independence in eastern Anatolia.

There was no immediate Canadian response to the diplomatic recall.