TURKISH HISTORICAL UNION: "ARMENIAN STATEMENTS WILL CAUSE SPLIT IN EUROPEAN UNION"
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
17/05/2007

In the course of the May 12 "Armenian Cause" conference held
in Anatolia, professor Yusuf Halacoglu, chairman of the Turkish
Historical Union, emphasized the claims on the recognition of the
Armenian genocide are directed against the Turkish state, adding that
the decisions on the recognition will never be compulsory for Turkey.

The Turkish newspapers responded to this statement by Halacoglu on the
next day. In particular, "Zaman" stated that the claims to recognize
the Armenian Genocide may not only threat Turkey, but also may split
the European Union. According to Halachoglu, this is conditioned by
the fact that Nikola Sarkozy was elected French president and this
may be quite crucial for Europe. He said that Sarkozy faced serious
confrontation, adding that his claims to refuse Turkey’s membership
may also cause big complications for the European Union.

Moreover, Halacoglu demanded that Sarkozy should give up its
determination in the issue of refusing turkey’s membership and
supporting the French bill on criminal execution for the denial of
the genocide. He also warned the French president that the rest of the
European states will accuse France of committing genocides in Algeria
and Rwanda, and this will cause a big split in the European Union.