ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
17 December 2004

‘Turkey’s EU entry to help peace among civilizations’

Parliament’s of EU countries have not been making their decisions based upon
the principles of the Bible, and the Turkish Parliament has not been making
its decisions based upon the principles of the Koran either

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Turkish Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II fully supports Turkey’s EU bid, and
said he believes the European Union was not a “Christian Club” and that it
would set a date for the opening of accession talks with Ankara, the
Anatolia news agency said.

Mesrob II said European and Turkish politicians often used religious culture
as a tool in politics.
“Parliament’s of EU countries have not been making their decisions based
upon the principles of the Bible, and the Turkish Parliament has not been
making its decisions based upon the principles of the Koran either.
Integration of the EU and Turkey will be useful both for our region and the
world and for peace among civilizations,” Anatolia quoted Mesrob II as
saying.
Responding to a question concerning suggestions of having Turkey’s
recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide as a precondition for its EU
membership, Mesrob II said he agreed with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdoðan who had earlier said that historians, not politicians, should
discuss the issue. However, he added a dialogue process should be started,
adding, “Facing up to history is important for building the future on a
stronger basis. People do not hug each other without being reconciled with
each other.”

Armenians accuse Turkey of killing as many as 1.5 million of their
countrymen during a 1915 to 1923 campaign to force them from eastern Turkey.
Ankara categorically rejects the charges.

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