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EP REPORT DROPS GENOCIDE CLAUSE, CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION
By Selcuk Gultasli - Emre Demir, Strasbourg
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 28 2006
The Turkey report prepared by Dutch parliamentarian Camiel Eurlings
was adopted Wednesday at a European Parliament (EP) meeting, but it
included revisions.
There were 429 'yes' votes, 71 'no' votes, and 125 abstained. A clause
that would have set the recognition of the alleged Armenian genocide
as a pre-condition for Turkey's EU membership and the proposal on a
privileged partnership for Turkey, rather than full EU membership,
were rejected. The non-binding report called on Ankara to accelerate
its reform process. Before the vote, the majority of Socialist,
Liberal and Green Party MPs asked for the withdrawal of the paragraph
on genocide. The proposal demanding the withdrawal of the genocide
clause was adopted with 320 'yes' votes against 282 'no' votes. The
report, referred to by some parliamentarians as "a lobby report,"
also called for the indirect recognition of the Assyrian and Pontus
Greek genocides. By adopting the report, the EP aims to influence
the content of the progress report to be released on Nov. 8.
It is the first time an EP report referred to the Greek Pontus and
Assyrian "genocides," as well as to the headscarf issue. The impact
of the efforts to make the document on the Cyprus issue more balanced
was limited. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies,
who went to the EP to hold meetings, noted that while the revised
report was more positive, the genocide paragraph was disturbing.
Rapparteur Eurlings, who cited the report as "balanced" was asked
a number of questions on the subject. Asserting that the report's
references to the Pontus and Assyrian "genocides" were not calls
for genocide recognition, Eurlings stated that they were meant to
encourage Turkey to face its past.
Paragraph 50 of the report calling for recognition of the purported
Armenian genocide urges Turkey to open its Armenian border, improve
its bilateral relations and establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia. The same paragraph also proposes the investigation of the
"genocide" issue by a commission to be established under the auspices
of the United Nations The conclusion of the paragraph urges the
adoption of the same approach with regard to the "other minorities,"
in reference to the Greek Pontians and Assyrians. The paragraph, which
lacks quality and coherence, calls for the establishment of diplomatic
relations with Pontians and Assyrians, for whom no state exists..
The report, which rejects the clause that would set the recognition
of the Armenian genocide by Turkey as a membership pre-condition,
implies that Pontians and Assyrians were subjected to "genocide,"
just like the Armenians. Even though the amendment proposal submitted
by Greek MPs to recognize the Greek Pontus "genocide" was rejected,
the last two expressions in the report disturbed Turkey's delegation.
The references made to those three "genocides" spurred a new debate
on how to read the report. Joost Lagendijk, the Turkey-EU Joint
Parliamentary Commission co-chairman, and Eurlings said that the
report did not make a call for the recognition of Pontus and Assyrian
"genocides," but aimed instead at encouraging Turkey to discuss its
past. Vural, an EP member of Turkish origin, strongly condemned
the expressions on "genocides." Because the report made indirect
references to the "genocides," it is most likely that the upcoming
EP reports will contain similar expressions.
EU Discusses Headscarves for 1st time
A headscarf proposal submitted by German and Dutch Green Party
members was adopted in Wednesday's session. This is the first time
an EU document made reference to the headscarf issue. The proposal
does not specify a concrete resolution of the issue, but instead
expresses hope for a consensus on the controversy. The proposal
notes that there is an ongoing controversy in Turkish society on
the status of the headscarf and that there is no binding EU ruling
on this particular issue, but expresses hope for the realization
achievement of a consensus that would allow the wearing of headscarves
at universities. The EU Commission's annual report did not make any
reference to the headscarf issue.
Turkish deputies who held meetings in Strasbourg in an attempt to
amend the report noted that the recently adopted report was "much
more positive" than the one adopted in early September. Saban Disli,
AKP Deputy Chairman responsible for foreign affairs, Murat Mercan,
Chairman of the Turkish Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe, and delegation member Mevlut Cavusoglu said
the report was no more negative than previous ones, but there had
been a setback in overall relations.
Watson: Turkey Deserves Better Report
Speaking to Zaman immediately after the vote, Liberal Party leader
Graham Watson said that he preferred to abstain from voting since
he did not approve the report. Noting that Turkey deserved a more
embracing and positive report, Watson further said that the majority
of the Liberal group abstained in the voting session based on its
unbalanced content. Citing its unbalanced approach with regard to the
Cyprus issue and references made to the Assyrian and Pontus "genocides"
as the most disturbing aspects of the report, Watson noted that the
European Union should help Turkish society discuss the issue of the
alleged Armenian genocide.
By Selcuk Gultasli - Emre Demir, Strasbourg
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 28 2006
The Turkey report prepared by Dutch parliamentarian Camiel Eurlings
was adopted Wednesday at a European Parliament (EP) meeting, but it
included revisions.
There were 429 'yes' votes, 71 'no' votes, and 125 abstained. A clause
that would have set the recognition of the alleged Armenian genocide
as a pre-condition for Turkey's EU membership and the proposal on a
privileged partnership for Turkey, rather than full EU membership,
were rejected. The non-binding report called on Ankara to accelerate
its reform process. Before the vote, the majority of Socialist,
Liberal and Green Party MPs asked for the withdrawal of the paragraph
on genocide. The proposal demanding the withdrawal of the genocide
clause was adopted with 320 'yes' votes against 282 'no' votes. The
report, referred to by some parliamentarians as "a lobby report,"
also called for the indirect recognition of the Assyrian and Pontus
Greek genocides. By adopting the report, the EP aims to influence
the content of the progress report to be released on Nov. 8.
It is the first time an EP report referred to the Greek Pontus and
Assyrian "genocides," as well as to the headscarf issue. The impact
of the efforts to make the document on the Cyprus issue more balanced
was limited. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies,
who went to the EP to hold meetings, noted that while the revised
report was more positive, the genocide paragraph was disturbing.
Rapparteur Eurlings, who cited the report as "balanced" was asked
a number of questions on the subject. Asserting that the report's
references to the Pontus and Assyrian "genocides" were not calls
for genocide recognition, Eurlings stated that they were meant to
encourage Turkey to face its past.
Paragraph 50 of the report calling for recognition of the purported
Armenian genocide urges Turkey to open its Armenian border, improve
its bilateral relations and establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia. The same paragraph also proposes the investigation of the
"genocide" issue by a commission to be established under the auspices
of the United Nations The conclusion of the paragraph urges the
adoption of the same approach with regard to the "other minorities,"
in reference to the Greek Pontians and Assyrians. The paragraph, which
lacks quality and coherence, calls for the establishment of diplomatic
relations with Pontians and Assyrians, for whom no state exists..
The report, which rejects the clause that would set the recognition
of the Armenian genocide by Turkey as a membership pre-condition,
implies that Pontians and Assyrians were subjected to "genocide,"
just like the Armenians. Even though the amendment proposal submitted
by Greek MPs to recognize the Greek Pontus "genocide" was rejected,
the last two expressions in the report disturbed Turkey's delegation.
The references made to those three "genocides" spurred a new debate
on how to read the report. Joost Lagendijk, the Turkey-EU Joint
Parliamentary Commission co-chairman, and Eurlings said that the
report did not make a call for the recognition of Pontus and Assyrian
"genocides," but aimed instead at encouraging Turkey to discuss its
past. Vural, an EP member of Turkish origin, strongly condemned
the expressions on "genocides." Because the report made indirect
references to the "genocides," it is most likely that the upcoming
EP reports will contain similar expressions.
EU Discusses Headscarves for 1st time
A headscarf proposal submitted by German and Dutch Green Party
members was adopted in Wednesday's session. This is the first time
an EU document made reference to the headscarf issue. The proposal
does not specify a concrete resolution of the issue, but instead
expresses hope for a consensus on the controversy. The proposal
notes that there is an ongoing controversy in Turkish society on
the status of the headscarf and that there is no binding EU ruling
on this particular issue, but expresses hope for the realization
achievement of a consensus that would allow the wearing of headscarves
at universities. The EU Commission's annual report did not make any
reference to the headscarf issue.
Turkish deputies who held meetings in Strasbourg in an attempt to
amend the report noted that the recently adopted report was "much
more positive" than the one adopted in early September. Saban Disli,
AKP Deputy Chairman responsible for foreign affairs, Murat Mercan,
Chairman of the Turkish Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe, and delegation member Mevlut Cavusoglu said
the report was no more negative than previous ones, but there had
been a setback in overall relations.
Watson: Turkey Deserves Better Report
Speaking to Zaman immediately after the vote, Liberal Party leader
Graham Watson said that he preferred to abstain from voting since
he did not approve the report. Noting that Turkey deserved a more
embracing and positive report, Watson further said that the majority
of the Liberal group abstained in the voting session based on its
unbalanced content. Citing its unbalanced approach with regard to the
Cyprus issue and references made to the Assyrian and Pontus "genocides"
as the most disturbing aspects of the report, Watson noted that the
European Union should help Turkish society discuss the issue of the
alleged Armenian genocide.