EU RAPPORTEUR SEES ADOPTED PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY AS "FAIR"

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
27 Sep 06

Strasbourg, 27 September: EP [European Parliament] Turkey rapporteur
Camiel Eurlings said (regarding the Turkey report) that it has mainly
returned to its first shape.

Speaking after the voting of the report, Eurlings said that the
current shape of the report is fair.

Expressing pleasure on withdrawal of the call on recognition of
so-called Armenian genocide before Turkey’s EU full membership,
Eurlings said that it is not right to ask for new pre-conditions
from Turkey.

The proposal of Greek parliamentarians for Turkey to recognize
so-called Pontus Greek and Syrian genocide was rejected during the
voting of the report.

The expressions about Pontus Greeks and Syrians was included in the
part about Armenians, and stated that Turkey should adopt the same
attitude towards other minorities like Pontus Greeks and Syrians.

The report calls Turkey to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
and lift economic obstacles with that country, stressing that studies
of historians, academicians and researchers on historical archives
should be supported and encouraged.

The report noted that Turkey should solve its border problems in a
friendly way.