Turkey causes disappointment in Europe: Lagendijk
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Lagendijk said that government’s suggestion of setting up committee to study
the so-called Armenian genocide was positive.
April 5- The breaking up of a Women’s Day rally by Turkish police and the
call by a governor to confiscate the books of well known Turkish writer
Orhan Pamuk had been caused great disappointment in Europe, a senior EU
official said Tuesday.
Speaking to private television station NTV, Joost Lagendijk, the head
of the EU-Turkey Mixed Parliamentary Commission, said that the government’s
not having put forward a concrete reaction to these issues could not be
explained within EU, he said
The order by the governor of Isparta’s Sütçuler to confiscate Orhan
Pamuk’s books due to his having made a statement on the Armenian issue has
created a completely different perception about Turkey, Lagendijk said.
These are very sad events, he said, adding that these incidents are
more important than passing new laws.
Lagendijk criticised the government attitude to the incidents, saying
that either the Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister could have a
statement.
“(They could have said) Ok we do not agree with the views of Orhan
Pamuk but he is free to give his own views,” Lagendijk told NTV.
On the issue of Ankara signing the expansion of the customs union for
new members of the bloc, Lagendijk said that although this would not mean
Turkey politically recognises Greek Cypriot side it would mean giving green
light to recognition.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress