‘TURKISH RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE A ‘DAYDREAM"
By Cihan News Agency

Zaman Online, Turkey
Aug 5 2006

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that it would
be nothing but a "daydream" to expect recognition by Turkey of the
so-called genocide of Armenians during the last years of the Ottoman
Empire.

PM Erdogan and his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha held a joint
press conference on Tuesday following their meeting at the prime
ministry office in Ankara.

Commenting on the draft report on Turkey for 2006 prepared by the
European Parliament (EP), Erdogan remarked that the EP decisions
were nor binding. Erdogan added that expecting Turkey’s recognition
of Armenian killings as "genocide" was impossible.

The EP called on Turkey for recognition of so-called Armenian genocide
claims as a condition for its accession to the union in a draft report
adopted by majority in Strasbourg on Monday.

Turkish Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected the EP report, saying
that the report compiled by Dutch legislator Camiel Eurlings was
incompatible with prestige and gravity of the European parliament.

"Turkey was deeply saddened with the stance of the European parliament
regarding the so-called Armenian genocide claims," FM spokesman said.