Turkish foreign minister denies EU entry, Armenian genocide claims linked

Anatolia news agency
20 Mar 05

Ankara: Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has
said that there is no direct or indirect link between the alleged
Armenian genocide and Turkey’s accession to the EU.

In his response to a question tabled by Ummet Kandogan, an MP of the
True Path Party from Denizli, Gul pointed out that Turkey had fulfilled
the Copenhagen political criteria set out as a precondition for the
start of accession talks with the EU, which, he noted, was confirmed
both in the Progress Report and the Recommendation released by the EU
Commission on 6 October 2004 as well as the final communique issued
after the EU summit held on 17 December 2004.

Noting that the conditions related to the negotiating process had
been clearly defined for each candidate country and that the process
of Turkey’s admission to the EU would take place within the context
outlined in the EU’s acquis communautaire, Gul went on saying: “Thus,
there is no direct or indirect link between the Armenian allegations
of genocide and Turkey’s accession to the EU. Although this issue is
occasionally brought up by certain groups, EU circles are aware of
the clear and firm policy that country has been pursuing about the
matter in question.”

Pointing out that a historical research group, which was set up
within the Turkish History Institution in order to investigate into
the Armenian allegations and consists of a group of distinguished
historians, had undertaken significant work with a view to supporting
Turkish arguments in response to Armenian allegations, Gul said that
books written as a result of scientific work undertaken by the group
would soon be available to the Turkish public and the international
community.

Gul went on saying that there was satisfactory coordination between
the agencies and organizations concerned with respect to formulation
of policies in response to unfounded Armenian allegations, adding
that funds needed to support the activities being conducted into
Armenian claims had been earmarked by the Promotion Fund under the
Prime Minister’s Office.