CHIRAC CALLS ON TURKEY TO "RECOGNIZE ITS PAST" IN CONNECTION WITH MASS KILLINGS OF ARMENIANS
International Herald Tribune, France
The Associated Press
Sept 30 2006
YEREVAN, Armenia French President Jacques Chirac called on Turkey on
Saturday to "recognize its past" in connection with the mass killings
of Armenians in the early 20th century.
"Turkey should acknowledge the mistakes of its past," Chirac
said at a joint news conference with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian. "I believe that every country, in accordance with its
level of development, should acknowledge its tragic moments and the
mistakes of the past."
A reporter had asked Chirac whether Turkey should have to recognize
the killings as genocide before being admitted to the European Union.
Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed in 1915-1923 in an organized campaign and have pushed for
recognition of the killings as genocide around the world. Turkey
rejects the claim that a mass evacuation and related deaths of
Armenians was genocide and says the death toll is inflated.
France’s parliament has officially recognized the killings as genocide,
and Chirac said in 2004 that Turkey would have to agree on that point
if it wanted to become an EU member.
YEREVAN, Armenia French President Jacques Chirac called on Turkey on
Saturday to "recognize its past" in connection with the mass killings
of Armenians in the early 20th century.
"Turkey should acknowledge the mistakes of its past," Chirac
said at a joint news conference with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian. "I believe that every country, in accordance with its
level of development, should acknowledge its tragic moments and the
mistakes of the past."
A reporter had asked Chirac whether Turkey should have to recognize
the killings as genocide before being admitted to the European Union.
Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killed in 1915-1923 in an organized campaign and have pushed for
recognition of the killings as genocide around the world. Turkey
rejects the claim that a mass evacuation and related deaths of
Armenians was genocide and says the death toll is inflated.
France’s parliament has officially recognized the killings as genocide,
and Chirac said in 2004 that Turkey would have to agree on that point
if it wanted to become an EU member.