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ISSUES OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS ACTIVELY DISCUSSED IN EUROPE
By Hakob Chakrian
What is EUâ~@~Ys Concern?
Azg/am
27 Oct 04
The European Commission issued a report suggesting the EU member state
leaders and governments to start accession talks with Turkey. All
the formulae unacceptable for Ankara and European statesâ~@~Y
preconceptions resulted in a debate long before December 17, EU summit
day that will set up the negotiation term.
The issues of Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as well as
Armenian-Turkish relations in general were not bypassed during these
debates neither in Europe nor in Turkey. Active involvement of NGOs
was very supportive in bringing issues up.
Eminent statesman Ilter Turkmen singled out Europeâ~@~Ys Friends
and Commission of Independent Turkey NGOs in an October 2 article of
Hyuriet. The former thinks that relations with neighboring Armenia
will be drawn forward if not now then at the accession stage, the
latter thinks that EU will suggest not only opening borders with
Armenia and putting right Armenia-Turkish relations but will also
exhort Turkey to recognize the tragic events of the past.
This is a hint about Armenian Genocide. Unlike the Commission of
Independent Turkey, the European-Armenians spoke out openly at their
first congress at the European Commission. They demanded EU member
states to include Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as a precondition
for Turkeyâ~@~Ys accession.
The EU December 17 summit will show if the European-Armenian
Federationâ~@~Ys demand was accepted or not. The fact is that the
discussions over Armenian Genocide acknowledgment and Armenia-Turkish
relations are not limited with the circle of European and Turkish
political fractions, Turkish NGOs and the European-Armenian Federation.
Scientific circles in their turn contribute to debates. The October 15
issue of Turkish Akos newspaper writes about a scientific conference
in Venice on October 28-30. Diaspora Armenians Levon Zekiyan, Ramon
Gevorgian, Iv Ternon, Turkish scientists Halil Terktay, Murad Belge,
Baskn Oran, Ferhat Qentel and Rag?p Zaraqolu, Tanem Akcam (USA) and
Ruben Safrastian from Armenia will take part at the conference called
"Armenian and Turks Throughout the History. Century-old Relations".
Participation of Armenian Diaspora NGOs together with political circles
of Europe and Turkey at the Venice conference inspires hope that EU
will include the Armenian-Turkish relations in the precondition list
even though dropping out the Genocide acknowledgment.
EUâ~@~Ys New Neighborhood Initiative that took over the three South
Caucasian states on June 14 of the current year is also aimed at
that. But there is still an answered question: if the EU is concerned
with Armenian-Turkish relations why does Europe view this issue in
the context of the Armenian Genocide? By threatening Turkey with the
Genocide EU makes Turkey agree on improving relations with Armenia.
Therefore neither discussions over Armenian Genocide and
Armenian-Turkish relations nor the initiatives for those discussions
can be considered casual. It was in the interests of Europe that the
1st European-Armeniansâ~@~Y congress took place and that the Venice
scientific conference is to be held.
--Boundary_(ID_5w2z6JQuiovyrWNrkmKJXg)--
By Hakob Chakrian
What is EUâ~@~Ys Concern?
Azg/am
27 Oct 04
The European Commission issued a report suggesting the EU member state
leaders and governments to start accession talks with Turkey. All
the formulae unacceptable for Ankara and European statesâ~@~Y
preconceptions resulted in a debate long before December 17, EU summit
day that will set up the negotiation term.
The issues of Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as well as
Armenian-Turkish relations in general were not bypassed during these
debates neither in Europe nor in Turkey. Active involvement of NGOs
was very supportive in bringing issues up.
Eminent statesman Ilter Turkmen singled out Europeâ~@~Ys Friends
and Commission of Independent Turkey NGOs in an October 2 article of
Hyuriet. The former thinks that relations with neighboring Armenia
will be drawn forward if not now then at the accession stage, the
latter thinks that EU will suggest not only opening borders with
Armenia and putting right Armenia-Turkish relations but will also
exhort Turkey to recognize the tragic events of the past.
This is a hint about Armenian Genocide. Unlike the Commission of
Independent Turkey, the European-Armenians spoke out openly at their
first congress at the European Commission. They demanded EU member
states to include Armenian Genocide acknowledgment as a precondition
for Turkeyâ~@~Ys accession.
The EU December 17 summit will show if the European-Armenian
Federationâ~@~Ys demand was accepted or not. The fact is that the
discussions over Armenian Genocide acknowledgment and Armenia-Turkish
relations are not limited with the circle of European and Turkish
political fractions, Turkish NGOs and the European-Armenian Federation.
Scientific circles in their turn contribute to debates. The October 15
issue of Turkish Akos newspaper writes about a scientific conference
in Venice on October 28-30. Diaspora Armenians Levon Zekiyan, Ramon
Gevorgian, Iv Ternon, Turkish scientists Halil Terktay, Murad Belge,
Baskn Oran, Ferhat Qentel and Rag?p Zaraqolu, Tanem Akcam (USA) and
Ruben Safrastian from Armenia will take part at the conference called
"Armenian and Turks Throughout the History. Century-old Relations".
Participation of Armenian Diaspora NGOs together with political circles
of Europe and Turkey at the Venice conference inspires hope that EU
will include the Armenian-Turkish relations in the precondition list
even though dropping out the Genocide acknowledgment.
EUâ~@~Ys New Neighborhood Initiative that took over the three South
Caucasian states on June 14 of the current year is also aimed at
that. But there is still an answered question: if the EU is concerned
with Armenian-Turkish relations why does Europe view this issue in
the context of the Armenian Genocide? By threatening Turkey with the
Genocide EU makes Turkey agree on improving relations with Armenia.
Therefore neither discussions over Armenian Genocide and
Armenian-Turkish relations nor the initiatives for those discussions
can be considered casual. It was in the interests of Europe that the
1st European-Armeniansâ~@~Y congress took place and that the Venice
scientific conference is to be held.
--Boundary_(ID_5w2z6JQuiovyrWNrkmKJXg)--