ARMENIAN FM AGAINST TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP

ArmenPress
Oct 11 2004

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian disapproved today the European Union’s intention to start
talks on Turkey’s accession process, saying it did not deserve the
membership. Speaking at a joint news conference with the visiting
foreign minister of Norway, Jan Petersen, Oskanian blamed Turkey
for the continued closure of its border with Armenia and a law that
criminalizes mentioning of the Armenian Genocide. Oskanian also
rejected any possibility of Turkey’s involvement in the Karabagh
regulation, proposed lately by a Russian co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk
group, but admitted that Turkey is one of the major regional countries.

Jan Petersen, who is the Council of Europe’s chairman of the Committee
of Ministers, said his government could not express an opinion on
Turkey’s membership since Norway is not an EU member.

Norway’s foreign minister also said his government will continue its
projects in Armenia, singling out the Norwegian Refugee Council’s
project of building houses for refugees. He then said Armenia
and Norway should work hard to raise their relations to a higher
level. He said Norway can help Armenia develop its energy system,
particularly, hydro-power stations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress