France adds to EU pressure on Turkey
Mon, 2 Oct 2006
The Parliament
Author: Daisy Ayliffe
French president Jacques Chirac has pressed Turkey to recognise the role played by Ankara in the Armenian genocide during WW1.
Chirac’s comments came during a visit to Armenia over the weekend and could indicate a hardening of France’s stance towards Turkey’s EU membership.
“Should Turkey recognise the genocide of Armenia to join the EU?” Chirac asked.
“Honestly, I believe so. Each country grows by acknowledging its dramas and errors of the past.”
“Germany has recognised its role in the Holocaust, and has not suffered as a result. In fact, its status has grown. Turkey would do well…to take note,” he added.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were systematically killed by the Turkish authorities between 1915-1923.
Turkey has acknowledged that large numbers died, but insists that the overall figure has been overstated.
The French parliament has officially recognised the killings as genocide.
But Chirac has rejected calls by socialists that denial of the genocide should become a crime in France.
Germany is also expected to add to EU pressure on Turkey this week - as Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Istanbul.
But while Merkel may share French scepticism over Turkey’s EU entry ambitions, she will also be keen to avert a crisis ahead of her EU presidency in the first half of 2007.
EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn will also be in Turkey this week – with a carrot and stick message for the country.
Rehn will visit Ankara on Tuesday to pressure officials to deliver on freedom of expression and religion, and on Cyprus.
Over the weekend the Cypriot government warned there could be no further accession talks with Turkey if it does not formally recognise Cyprus.
The Turkish parliament is currently debating a wide ranging reform package – but EU officials fear it falls short of Brussels’ demands on free speech and religious minorities.
The European commission is set to report on Turkish progress on November 8.
Turkish officials will be hoping to avoid the “train crash” Rehn has warned of.
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
The Parliament
Author: Daisy Ayliffe
French president Jacques Chirac has pressed Turkey to recognise the role played by Ankara in the Armenian genocide during WW1.
Chirac’s comments came during a visit to Armenia over the weekend and could indicate a hardening of France’s stance towards Turkey’s EU membership.
“Should Turkey recognise the genocide of Armenia to join the EU?” Chirac asked.
“Honestly, I believe so. Each country grows by acknowledging its dramas and errors of the past.”
“Germany has recognised its role in the Holocaust, and has not suffered as a result. In fact, its status has grown. Turkey would do well…to take note,” he added.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were systematically killed by the Turkish authorities between 1915-1923.
Turkey has acknowledged that large numbers died, but insists that the overall figure has been overstated.
The French parliament has officially recognised the killings as genocide.
But Chirac has rejected calls by socialists that denial of the genocide should become a crime in France.
Germany is also expected to add to EU pressure on Turkey this week - as Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Istanbul.
But while Merkel may share French scepticism over Turkey’s EU entry ambitions, she will also be keen to avert a crisis ahead of her EU presidency in the first half of 2007.
EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn will also be in Turkey this week – with a carrot and stick message for the country.
Rehn will visit Ankara on Tuesday to pressure officials to deliver on freedom of expression and religion, and on Cyprus.
Over the weekend the Cypriot government warned there could be no further accession talks with Turkey if it does not formally recognise Cyprus.
The Turkish parliament is currently debating a wide ranging reform package – but EU officials fear it falls short of Brussels’ demands on free speech and religious minorities.
The European commission is set to report on Turkish progress on November 8.
Turkish officials will be hoping to avoid the “train crash” Rehn has warned of.
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
posted by Vahe Balabanian at 11:15 AM
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