EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
For Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 (0)2 732 70 26
Tel/Fax : +32 (0)2 732 70 27

PRESS RELEASE
29 septembre 2006
Contact: Varténie ECHO
Tel/Fax : +32 (0)2 732 70 27

EP/TURKEY: RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE ESSENTIAL TO ACCESSION – ARMENIAN
BLOCKADE VIOLATING NEGOTIATIONS

— Eurlings: `there is no accession without an acknowledgement of the

Armenian genocide’ —

The European parliament adopted on Wednesday 27 September a
resolution on `Turkey’s progress towards accession’ by 429 votes in
favour, 71
against and 125 abstentions. The report in a highly critical tone
demonstrates the sharp degradation of relations between Turkey and
the
European Union and the unfavourable situation of the negotiation
process.

As for the Armenian genocide, the European Parliament maintained the
position by recalling that "although the recognition of the Armenian
genocide as such does not formally constitute one of the Copenhagen
criteria, it is essential that a country towards accession faces and
recognizes its past". In fact, this was the only point underlined by
the rapporteur, Mr. Eurlings who, at the end of the vote, emphasised
by "Let’s be clear: even if the recognition of the Armenian genocide
is not formally a condition of membership, Turkey cannot join the
Union without recognizing its past’.

However, on this question, the European Parliament rejected by 320
votes against 283 and 40 abstentions paragraph 49 that had already
been
adopted by the Committee of Foreign Affairs and which places the
recognition of the Armenian genocide as a precondition to accession.

`We deeply thank those who – among all groups – have done everything
in order to maintain the formulation which constituted only a recall
of the European parliament former positions’ declared the chairperson

of the European Armenian Federation, Hilda Tchoboian. `The rejection
of this paragraph is purely linked to the current situation and was
imposed by Turkey with the expedience of the chancelleries of the
European Countries. We note however that the impact of this
suppression
was restrained by the declarations of the rapporteur on this very
subject’ continued Hilda Tchoboian.

In addition, the Federation regrets the lack of awareness which led
the European Parliament – in line with the socialist group proposal –

`to take note of Turkey’s proposal to establish a bilateral committee

of experts which should be held under the auspices of the United
Nations’ in order to pronounce judgment on the Armenian genocide. The

Federation reminds that the experts of the UN Sub-Committee on Human
Rights have in 1985 already acknowledged without any ambiguity the
Armenian genocide.

`The European parliament resolution is a real disavowal of the
Turkey’s aggressive policy since it considers that the blockade of
Armenia
explicitly violates the conditions of membership of this country’,
continued Hilda Tchoboian. `Now, we are waiting for the European
executive to consider this issue with the same determination as the
Cypriot
issue, concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

The Federation notes with satisfaction that the Armenian genocide and

the blockade forced by Turkey – as is the question of the Cyprus
occupation and the capacity of the Union to absorb members constitute
the
core of the European preoccupations regarding Turkey’s controversial
application.
From: Baghdasarian