EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADDS ITS VOICE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Ankara Puts Preconditions to Europe

Azg/arm
17 Dec 04

On Wednesday, the European parliament joined the French
governmentâ~@~Ys call on Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide
in order to win the membership to EU. The European parliament made
84 corrections in “Turkeyâ~@~Ys Progress to Membership” report,
18 of which concern the Armenian Genocide. The suggestion made by
two members of the parliament were accepted. Reaffirming its earlier
resolutions, the EU parliament urged Turkey “to promote the process
of reconciliation with the Armenian people by recognizing the genocide
perpetrated against the Armenians” in 1915-1923. It also called on the
EUâ~@~Ys member states and executive commission to seek Turkeyâ~@~Ys
recognition of the Genocide during the anticipated accession talks
in Ankara.

In fact, the European parliament reaffirmed its resolution adopted
on June 18, 1987, by which the legislative body of the EU recognized
the Armenian Genocide in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire. Letâ~@~Ys touch
upon several of the 84 corrections, referring the statement made by
the European Armenian Congress. According to the statement, Turkey
should improve the rights of the national minorities and protect
their cultural legacy, recognize the republic of Cyprus, etc.

The EU parliamentâ~@~Ys call on Turkey to recognize the Armenian
Genocide has no obligatory force, so it is no precondition for
Turkeyâ~@~Ys entry to EU. Doubtlessly, the issue of the Armenian
Genocide can serve as a means for manipulations in the hands of the
European states. Only, three days ago, the French foreign minister
called on Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide, stating, on the
other hand that that is no precondition for the accession talks.

On December 14, RA foreign minister said in connection with the opening
of the negotiations around Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership to EU that “our
consequent efforts we made in this direction recently yield positive
results”. “Today, EU has paid attention to opening the Armenian-Turkish
borders, as well as to recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It is
hard to say how these issues will develop in the coming EU Congress,
but we are sure that after opening the negotiations on Turkeyâ~@~Ys
membership to EU, these issues will be included in their agenda,”
Vartan Oskanian said.

According to the Associated Press, in the course of the Wednesday
sitting of the EU Assembly, the suggestion made by the French and
German conservatives to elaborate “a special cooperation” program
for Turkey was rejected as an alternative to the membership. EU
parliament called on opening immediate negotiations with Turkey. Jose
Manuel Barros, chairman of EU Commission, said that EU should fix a
deadline for the negotiations around Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership to EU,
BBC informed.

On December 16 and 17 a meeting of EU member state leaders will be
held. The issue of the terms for Turkeyâ~@~Ys membership to EU will be
discussed among the other issues during this meeting. Abdullah Gul,
Turkish foreign minister, stated that his country is not ready to
become an EU member “at any price.”

Gul pointed out 4 preconditions in the interview given toMiliet. These
preconditions are the following: 1. The main issue of the negotiations
should be the issue of Turkeyâ~@~Ys full membership to EU. 2. Turkey
doesnâ~@~Yt have to recognize Cyprus. 3. The decision to open the
negotiations should not depend on the further decisions taken by EU
leaders. 4. One canâ~@~Yt force a permanent condition to Turkey on
its path to EU membership.

By Tatoul Hakobian

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