EUROPE REACTS TO CHIRAC: GENOCIDE RECOGNITION NOT A PRE-CONDITION

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 3 2006

Remarks made by the French President Jacques Chirac implying that
Turkey needs to recognize the alleged Armenian genocide to become
an EU member were not welcomed in Europe. The EU Commission declared
that recognition of the alleged genocide was not a pre-condition for
full membership.

The Council of Europe criticized Chirac, as Chairman of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Rene van
der Linden said: "It is not new that Jacques Chirac has made such
statements.

The game has already started. You cannot change the rules of the game
while it is on. Like other European states, France signed a document
to start discussions on Turkey’s EU membership. Jacques Chirac has
made a mere political statement. I do not think this position is
right." Linden also noted that those who favor more reforms in Turkey
should be supported.

The EU Commission, despite pressure from the Armenian lobby, refused
to define the 1915 incidents as genocide. The Commission’s 2005 report
cited the incidents as "the tragic events of 1915."

In response to the remarks Chirac made in Yerevan, spokesperson the
EU Commissioner, Krisztina Nagy said that genocide recognition was
not a criterion set for full membership, and also stressed that the EU
attached great importance to the normalization of bilateral relations
between the EU and Turkey.

Recalling that compromise was a fundamental EU value, Nagy further
noted that Turkey was expected to address the issue within the
framework of an open and free public discussion.

The Commission refuses to recognize the 1915 incidents as genocide.

Instead, in the annual report it referred to the incidents as tragic
events.

The Council of Europe also criticized Chirac, who asserted that
Turkey should recognize the alleged Armenian genocide to qualify for
EU membership. Chairman of PACE, Rene van der Linden, in reference
to Chirac’s remarks, said because the membership requirements were
set beforehand, it was not right to create new conditions.

The Chairman, who found Chirac’s statements "political," stressed
that politicians should be discreet and fulfill their promises and
commitments.

In a statement he made in Yerevan on Saturday, French President Jacques
Chirac for the first time asserted that Turkey should recognize the
alleged Armenian genocide to become an EU member. He recalled that
France had recognized the alleged genocide in 2001.

Meanwhile, the French paper, Le Figaro, opined that Chirac’s statements
were more beneficial and profitable for France than having adopted
a bill that penalizes the denial of the alleged Armenian genocide.

Le Figaro headlined Chirac’s statement and the paper’s editorial
also covered the story. The paper also commented that an analogy
between the alleged Armenian genocide and the Nazi Holocaust would
cause serious criticisms, and noted that Jews in particular would
not welcome such a comparison.

Chirac Criterion?

Often silent regarding the atrocities committed by the French troops
in Algeria, Chirac, when suggesting that Turkey should accept the
Armenian allegations for EU membership, stated that countries earn
more respect when they admit their own mistakes and dramas.