Turkey on Thursday recalled its ambassador from Luxembourg for consultations after the European nation's parliament voted to recognize the deportations and killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 as genocide.

The Foreign Ministry was quoted by German News Agency (DPA) as saying Luxembourg was "distorting the law and the historical truth." Turkey has also recalled its ambassadors from Austria and the Vatican this year after those countries called the deaths genocide, a term Ankara vehemently denies.

Armenia says up to 1.5 million people were killed during two years of deportations and massacres targeting Christian communities. Turkey says the number is inflated and people were killed on both sides.

Turkey also sharply criticized Russia, France, Germany and Bulgaria this year for making statements recognizing a genocide.