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Zaman, Turkey
Sept 21 2004
EU Commission Denies 'Armenia Condition'
The European Union (EU) Commission adamantly denied rumors that the
opening of the Turkey-Armenia border would be added as a precondition
to Turkey's membership discussions with the EU.
Commission President Romano Prodi's spokesman, Marco Vignudelli, told
Zaman that Prodi said nothing that would lead one to believe that
such a condition would be placed on Turkey. Vignudelli said any such
claims to the contrary are categorically false. The spokesman
indicated that the border issue could only be resolved by dialouge
between the two countries.
The issue came to the forefront when a Yerevan based news source
claimed that Prodi had hinted that the opening of the border would be
a precondition to Turkey's membership discussions.
Armenia's Medimax news agency disclosed that "Prodi, in his press
conference in Yerevan with Armenian Foreign Minister Vatan Oskanyan,
stated that he did not omit the possibility that the closed border
matter would be one of the required preconditions for Turkey's EU
membership."
Prodi, whose presidency will end on November 1, 2004, is currently in
the midst of a swing through the Caucasus.
09.21.2004
Selcuk Gultasli
Brussels
Sept 21 2004
EU Commission Denies 'Armenia Condition'
The European Union (EU) Commission adamantly denied rumors that the
opening of the Turkey-Armenia border would be added as a precondition
to Turkey's membership discussions with the EU.
Commission President Romano Prodi's spokesman, Marco Vignudelli, told
Zaman that Prodi said nothing that would lead one to believe that
such a condition would be placed on Turkey. Vignudelli said any such
claims to the contrary are categorically false. The spokesman
indicated that the border issue could only be resolved by dialouge
between the two countries.
The issue came to the forefront when a Yerevan based news source
claimed that Prodi had hinted that the opening of the border would be
a precondition to Turkey's membership discussions.
Armenia's Medimax news agency disclosed that "Prodi, in his press
conference in Yerevan with Armenian Foreign Minister Vatan Oskanyan,
stated that he did not omit the possibility that the closed border
matter would be one of the required preconditions for Turkey's EU
membership."
Prodi, whose presidency will end on November 1, 2004, is currently in
the midst of a swing through the Caucasus.
09.21.2004
Selcuk Gultasli
Brussels