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YEREVAN, JUNE 11, ARMENPRESS. Turkey is seriously troubled about theIsraeli president-electReuven Rivlin. The news about Rivlin, being elected the President, the Turkish media, as a rule, associated with his pro-Armenian activities, as well as his tough stance on Turkey. As reports “Armenpress”, the Turkish Haberler.com wrote that during Rivlin's presidency in the Knesset, the issue of the Armenian Genocide had always been on the agenda.
In December 2011, when the Knesset held debates on recognizing the events of 1915 as Genocide, Rivlin made a statement indicating that as a nation who had faced genocide, had lost 6 million people, they could not simply ignore the pains endured by the Armenians. In 2012, during the discussions Rivlin said that they had not targeted the Turkish government or Turkey.
Israel's new leader is also known for his strict stance on the matter of "Mavi Marmara" ship. In particular, he has strongly opposed to apologize to Turkey for this matter. For the first time after "Mavi Marmara" incident, in 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama intervening in the matter, after the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's phone conversation, Rivlin said: "As far as we need a strategic relationship, one can understand the apology to Turkey over the "Mavi Marmara” case. But the Armenian Genocide denial is not acceptable for the same reasons".