NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Dec 15 2006

Armenian Patriarch backs Turkey’s EU bid
The EU’s leaders should not impose unilateral conditions on Turkey.
Mesrob said.

Güncelleme: 03:45 ET 15 Aralık 2006 Cuma
ISTANBUL – The head of the Armenian church in Turkey has called on
the leaders of the European Union not to undermine Ankara’s bid for
membership of the bloc.

A letter released by the office of Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II late
Thursday, sent to the leaders of the EU’s 25 member states, said that
efforts should be made to overcome a critical period in Turkey’s
accession process.

The letter was made public on the day that the EU leaders endorsed a
recommendation by the European Commission to partially suspend
Turkey’s membership negotiations in response to Ankara’s refusal to
open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot trade. `The EU’s leaders
will make a critical decision in Turkey-EU relations, which will have
broad consequences,’ Mesrob II said in his letter. `My concern about
this decision is that current unsolved problems could jeopardise the
country’s membership process and Turkey-EU relations in general.’

Turkey was committed to becoming a member of the EU and was enacting
the political and economic reforms required under the accession
criteria, the Patriarch said. `These reforms have improved the basic
rights of Turkish citizens including religious minorities,’ wrote
Mesrob. `This positive process will of course continue.’ The EU
should not derail Turkey’s membership negotiations by imposing
unilateral conditions without taking into account Turkey’s other
commitments, he said. `Your leadership is of utmost importance in
preventing the European Council from taking a negative decision,’
Mesrob wrote. `I hope that your strategic vision would mediate
putting the process back on track.’