French Speaker defends referendum over Turkey’s EU bid

Anatolia news agency
4 Feb 05

ANKARA

French National Assembly President Jean Louis Debre proposed on Friday
that an international independent organization should investigate the
Armenian genocide claims.

Debre, who is visiting Turkey, met Yasar Yakis, chairman of the
Turkish Parliamentary European Union (EU) Adjustment Commission, and
the members of this commission.

[Passage omitted]

The decision of the French parliament to hold a referendum on
accession of new members to the EU after 2007 was also debated in the
meeting.

CHP parliamentarian Oymen said that no referendum was held on any
country that became an EU member before, and noted that this decision
was made against Turkey, and added that it caused disappointment in
Turkey.

When Oymen said that such a procedure would not be carried out for
Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia which would become EU’s new members,
Debre said that referenda were held for some other countries in the
past, and stated that Europe’s borders would change after Turkey
joined the Union. He stressed that it would be useful to learn views
of the French regarding this matter.

Debre, who asked how his country could help Turkey on its road to EU
membership, said that France could either send experts to Turkey to
help this Commission’s initiatives or host members of the Commission
in France to extend support to them.

Jean Louis Debre was received by Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer
earlier today.