RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – PRECONDITION OF TURKEY ACCESSION TO EU

Pan Armenian News
01.09.2005 05:33

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The “April 24” Committee of the Federation of
Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands submitted a petition on the
need of inclusion of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border into the preconditions of Turkey’s
accession to the EU to Chairman of the Standing Commission for
European Affairs of the Parliament of the Netherlands Van Heteren –
otherwise the standard of good neighborly relations will not serve
its purpose. Virtually all parliamentary factions were present at
the handing of the petition. Dutch FM Bott has raised the issue many
times, however the standard was not included in the framework document
of talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU. The “April 24” Committee
petition notes the need to include the issue of recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by Turkey in the framework document. The petition
also notes that Turkey keeps denying the Armenian Genocide not only
inside the country, but also in Europe countries. The Committee
document also notes that good neighborly relations between countries
are part of the Copenhagen standard, thereupon Turkey has to open
borders with Armenia before the start of the talks on accession to the
EU, which will be followed by establishment of diplomatic relations
with Armenia. If this is not the case before the beginning of the
talks, these issues should be included in the framework document,
reported the Press Service of the Armenian MFA.