PARLIAMENT SPEAKER BELIEVES TURKEY IS A DANGER TO EUROPEAN VALUES

Panorama.am
17:20 10/10/06

Asked if France will go for the Turkish blackmail refusing to adopt
a law which proposes punishment for denial of the Armenian genocide,
speaker of parliament, Vahan Hovhannisyan said, "Turkish blackmail
is very active in European countries."

In his words, Turkey variously tries to convince European states
that they are more needed than Armenians. However, Turkey is a
danger to Europe and European values, Hovhannisyan said. Moreover,
he believes Turkey will distort European values when it becomes a
member of European Union.

Hovhannisyan said France has proposed three preconditions for
refusal to adopt a law on punishment for denial of genocide. First,
a Turkish-Armenian joint committee should be set up. Second,
Turkish-Armenian border should be opened. Thirds, Turkey must
reconsider article 301 of its Criminal Code. Hovhannisyan said
these preconditions "open a way for Turkey." He also said they are
expressed by French minister Nikolas Sarkozi who has high reputation
among the French public. He believes Sarkozi has uttered France’s
disposition.