Deutsche Presse-Agentur
April 25, 2005, Monday
13:10:19 Central European Time

E.U. to press Turkey on recognizing Armenian genocide, says France

Luxembourg

European Union foreign ministers meeting their Turkish counterpart in
Luxembourg this week will insist on Ankara’s recognition of the 1915
Armenian genocide, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said
Monday.

Recognition of the massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenian Christians
by Ottoman Turks between 1915-1923 is not a formal condition for
Turkish membership of the E.U.

But Barnier insisted the E.U. would raise the issue during membership
negotiations with Turkey set to open in Brussels in October this
year. Ankara would have to respond, he said.

The entire E.U. project was founded on the principle of
reconciliation, said Barnier.

“That is what the Germans and the French did and that is what Turkey
has to do … that is the challenge for Turkey,” Barnier added.

Turkey’s government has always insisted that there was no Armenian
genocide and says a far smaller number of Armenians died during
deportations which Ankara argues took place under war conditions and
were due to an Armenian rebellion. dpa si jm