TURKEY’S ADMISSION TO EU POSSIBLE AFTER SETTLEMENT OF ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 18 2006

Yerevan, April 18. /ARKA-Novosti-Armenia/. Turkey’s admission to the
European Union is only possible after the re-opening of borders with
Armenia and settlement of the issue of the Armenian Genocide in 1915,
Chairwoman of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Commission
Mary-Ann Isler Begin told reporters in Yerevan.

According to her, the European Parliament has always been for the
re-opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders. This issue will certainly
be raised the moment of Turkey’s admission to the European family.

Otherwise, the admission of the country having its borders with its
neighbors closed to the EU is impossible, Isler Begin said.

She also pointed out that, before being admitted to the EU, Turkey
must settle the issue of the Armenian Genocide inside itself.

On October 3, 2005, a meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg
reached an agreement on Turkey’s admission to the EU. On October 4,
2005, the EU started official negotiations with Turkey.

Western experts forecast that the negotiations with official Ankara
may last 15-20 years.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress