Noyan Tapan
July 27 2004

FRENCH SOCIALISTS CONSIDER RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS

PARIS, 27.07.04. The Socialist party of France considers the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide as an indispensable condition
for Turkey`s membership in the European Union. Francois Holand,
Secretary General of the party, reported about it after his meeting
with Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayipp Erdogan, answering Turkish
correspondents` questions. `It is impossible to specify the term of
negotiations on membership as long as Turkey didn`t recognize the
Genocide,` he said. According to the `Marmara` newspaper of Istanbul,
when journalists said that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
isn`t considered as a criterion in the issue of the EU membership,
and for what basis the Socialist Party lays down such a condition, F.
Holand reminded that the French parliament had recognized the
Armenian Genocide. News agencies report that the issue of the
Genocide was touched upon during the Holand-Erdogan meeting and
Erdogan noticed that this issue should be submitted to historians for
discussion.