‘So-Called Armenian Genocide Recognition not an EU Condition’
Zaman
07.16.2004 Friday
Armenians living in France are trying to bring Turkey’s refusal to
recognize the so-called Armenian genocide to the agenda by taking
advantage of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to
Paris next week.
A government official from the French Foreign Ministry told Zaman on
Thursday that Turkey would not be forced to recognize the so-called
Armenian genocide as a condition for membership to the European Union
(EU). The official said that Turkey, just like the other countries,
would have to fulfill the Copenhagen Criteria. Recognition of the
so-called Armenian genocide is not one of the Copenhagen Criteria.
During a press conference a journalist asked French Foreign Ministry
Deputy Spokesman Cecile Pozzo de Borgo, “Although recognition of the
[so-called] Armenian genocide is not among the Copenhagen Criteria,
some political party leaders in France want this to be set as a
condition for Turkey’s membership to the EU. What is the attitude of
France about this issue?”
Borgo declined to answer, saying that she could not comment on
internal politics.
Francois Hollande, Secretary General of the main opposition French
Socialist Party, explained in a joint-memo he prepared with the
Armenian Dashnak Party prior to the European Parliamentary elections
that Ankara should recognize the so-called Armenian genocide if it
wants to join the EU.
On the other side, French President Jacques Chirac had pointed out in
April that recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide was an issue
between Turkey and Armenia. He had said, “I see that there are
important developments on the subject. I appreciate these
developments; however, in bilateral plans, the judgment of the entire
future cannot be made only through history.”
Armenians Increase Efforts to Enact Denial Law
French Armenians are engaging in intense lobbying in support of a bill
prepared by Public Union Party (UMP) deputy Philippe Pemezec and
Socialist Party deputy Didier Migaud. The bill aims to punish those
who deny the so-called Armenian genocide.
Prepared by Migaud and called “The Punishment of Armenian Genocide
Discussions”, the bill regards the so-called Armenian genocide as a
crime against humanity and seeks to punish the people and institutions
that claim Armenians were not exposed to genocide in 1915. By making
this law pass from the French Parliament, the Armenians aim to enforce
the Armenian genocide law that theFrench Parliament adopted on January
18, 2001, but which did not impose any sanctions.
To protest Erdogan’s three-day visit that will start on Monday, the
Armenian Foundations are preparing demonstrations in Paris and
Marseille.
Erdogan is expected to meet with Francois Hollande and Alain Juppé,
the leader of UMP, which is against Turkey’s EU membership. Economy
Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who is one of the candidates for Alain
Juppé’s position, is alsoknown to be against Turkey’s membership.
07.16.2004
Ali Ihsan Aydin
Paris