Official Ankara said that there are forces that are using the Armenian Genocide issue to hinder the otherwise harmonious life of the people of Turkey.

This sentiment was expressed by Turkey’s communications director Fahrettin Altun, who has been deemed as Turkey’s number two person, after a meeting on Wednesday of the country’s advisory board in Ankara, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The board said that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which was on the advisory board’s agenda, was sowing divisions in Turkish society, according to the Hurriyet Daily News.

In a statement following the meeting, Altun said the Armenian Genocide question was on the agenda of the meeting, adding that some actors were seeking to “use the issue in a bid to damage the harmony of the Turkish people.”

He said the officials evaluated national and international opinions on the issue along with the correct diplomatic moves and attempts to hinder acts of disinformation on the case.

“The members of the High Advisory Board once again emphasized their determination to maintain our solidarity and union and the protection of our country’s interests,” Altun said.

Altun was the first Turkish official to react and condemn last month’s unanimous adoption by the U.S. Senate of the Armenian Genocide resolution.

Official Ankara reacted swiftly to the news of the Senate’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“The behavior of some members of the U.S. Congress is damaging the Turkish-American ties. The sanctions bill that passed yesterday in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Armenian resolution that passed today in the Senate endanger the future of our bilateral relationship,” said Altun, on Twitter last month.

“In every previous attempt to politicize history by some members of the US Congress, we reiterated our position to form a group to study it. We expressed that history should not be something that divides nations but unites them,” added Altun at the time.