The New Anatolian, Turkey
Jan 19 2007

Besnainou: Turkey’s membership is in EU’s interest

Turkey’s European Union membership is in the interests of the EU
itself, said Pierre Besnainou, chair of the European Jewish Council,
on Thursday, adding, "Turkey is a country that can also positively
contribute to the stability of the region."

Besnainou met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
during a visit to Ankara yesterday, a meeting he later described as
"very interesting."

Speaking to reporters following his meeting with the premier,
Besnainou expressed his firm belief that Turkey’s EU membership will
benefit both sides, and underlined Turkey’s positive role in the
Middle East. "Turkey is a country that can ensure stability in the
region, and this has been Turkey’s policy for many years," Besnainou
said. He also expressed belief that Turkey can be effective in
convincing the Palestinians to reassure Israel about the condition of
an Israeli soldier who was abducted early last summer. Adding that he
also discussed with Prime Minister Erdogan rising anti-Semitism in
Europe, Besnainou said he was happy with the situation of the Jewish
minority in Turkey.

Asked to comment on the Armenian genocide claims, Besnainou said he
supports the approach by Erdogan for reconciliation with the
Armenians. "We believe that Turkey’s opening all its archives to
historians and scholars will help illuminate this matter," he added.

The Turkish government is seeking the support of the strong Jewish
lobby, particularly in the U.S., to block efforts for recognition of
the so-called Armenian genocide. A draft resolution seeking
recognition of the Armenian genocide claims is likely to be approved
by the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

Turkey strongly opposes the claims that its predecessor state, the
Ottoman government, caused Armenian deaths in a planned genocide. The
Turkish government has said the toll is wildly inflated and that
Armenians were killed or displaced in civil unrest during the
empire’s collapse and World War I conditions. Ankara’s proposal to
Yerevan to set up a joint commission of historians to study the
events of 1915 is still awaiting a positive response from the
Armenian side.