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EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice & Democracy
Avenue dela Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +322 732 70 26
Tel/Fax:+322 732 70 27
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
July 11, 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel :+322 732 70 26
TURKEY /EU ACCESSION: NEGOTIATION FRAMEWORK CRITICIZED
- 350 European organizations and leaders from 21 countries call on European
Union to integrate the Armenian Genocide in the negotiations
framework
- The UMP (Union for Popular Movement) Members of the European Parliament ask
the Council to modify the European Commission's negotiations mandate
Brussels, Belgium (July 7th, 2005) *- Over 350 associations and
key leaders of European civil society from 21 countries responded
to an appeal by the European Armenian Federation to include Armenian
Genocide recognition in Turkey's EU accession negotiations framework.
The initiative, launched last April, as the world marked the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, garnered the support of
groups representing Armenian Genocide survivors and their descendants,
associations for the defense of victims of Genocide and crimes
against humanity, Human Rights groups, member organizations of the
Charter of European Armenians, as well as key figures of European political
life.
The European Appeal urged the European Union to integrate calls by national and
European Parliaments to include Genocide recognition in the negotiations
framework.
The European Armenian Federation noted that, on Tuesday July 5th,
the French delegation of European People’s Party (EPP *- Christian Democrats)
of European Parliament called on the Council “to modify the mandate of
negotiations of the [European] Commission”, notably “to reinforce the
exigencies of Union on essential topics such as Freedom of Religion, Penal
legislation, the recognition of Cyprus and the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide”.
In a July 5th press release issued by the French EPP (www.umpeurope.org), Mr
Jacques Toubon, Vice President of the EU-Turkey Delegation, accused the
Commission of harboring an “irresponsible attitude” which was “totally
devoid of reality”.
He affirmed that “the official framework of negotiations essentially
engages Turkey on its terms and not the criteria laid down by the [European]
Union”.
During the presentation of the negotiations framework to the European
Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Mr Olli Rehn, the Commissioner
responsible for European Enlargement, revealed that a program geared to promote
“dialogue between the Turkish and European civil societies” was in fact
intended to improve European public opinion about Turkey's accession to the EU.
That program
will be allocated 40 millions euros in 2006 alone.
“We would encourage the European Union to utilize the criteria established by
the European Parliament, adopted since the beginning of Turkey's accession
process, instead wasting funds trying to improve Turkey’s image in Europe at
the expense of European tax dollars,” stated European Armenian Federation
Chairwoman Hilda Tchoboian.
“It is regrettable that the Commission would so openly ignore the wishes of
450 million European citizens and their 730 elected representatives. It is an
abnormal and dangerous situation for democracy. Encouraged by the support of
political parties and leaders in the Union, we will again submit the European
Appeal and the
signatories list to the European Council in the days leading up to the October
3rd negotiations,” concluded Tchoboian.
for Justice & Democracy
Avenue dela Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +322 732 70 26
Tel/Fax:+322 732 70 27
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
July 11, 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel :+322 732 70 26
TURKEY /EU ACCESSION: NEGOTIATION FRAMEWORK CRITICIZED
- 350 European organizations and leaders from 21 countries call on European
Union to integrate the Armenian Genocide in the negotiations
framework
- The UMP (Union for Popular Movement) Members of the European Parliament ask
the Council to modify the European Commission's negotiations mandate
Brussels, Belgium (July 7th, 2005) *- Over 350 associations and
key leaders of European civil society from 21 countries responded
to an appeal by the European Armenian Federation to include Armenian
Genocide recognition in Turkey's EU accession negotiations framework.
The initiative, launched last April, as the world marked the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, garnered the support of
groups representing Armenian Genocide survivors and their descendants,
associations for the defense of victims of Genocide and crimes
against humanity, Human Rights groups, member organizations of the
Charter of European Armenians, as well as key figures of European political
life.
The European Appeal urged the European Union to integrate calls by national and
European Parliaments to include Genocide recognition in the negotiations
framework.
The European Armenian Federation noted that, on Tuesday July 5th,
the French delegation of European People’s Party (EPP *- Christian Democrats)
of European Parliament called on the Council “to modify the mandate of
negotiations of the [European] Commission”, notably “to reinforce the
exigencies of Union on essential topics such as Freedom of Religion, Penal
legislation, the recognition of Cyprus and the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide”.
In a July 5th press release issued by the French EPP (www.umpeurope.org), Mr
Jacques Toubon, Vice President of the EU-Turkey Delegation, accused the
Commission of harboring an “irresponsible attitude” which was “totally
devoid of reality”.
He affirmed that “the official framework of negotiations essentially
engages Turkey on its terms and not the criteria laid down by the [European]
Union”.
During the presentation of the negotiations framework to the European
Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Mr Olli Rehn, the Commissioner
responsible for European Enlargement, revealed that a program geared to promote
“dialogue between the Turkish and European civil societies” was in fact
intended to improve European public opinion about Turkey's accession to the EU.
That program
will be allocated 40 millions euros in 2006 alone.
“We would encourage the European Union to utilize the criteria established by
the European Parliament, adopted since the beginning of Turkey's accession
process, instead wasting funds trying to improve Turkey’s image in Europe at
the expense of European tax dollars,” stated European Armenian Federation
Chairwoman Hilda Tchoboian.
“It is regrettable that the Commission would so openly ignore the wishes of
450 million European citizens and their 730 elected representatives. It is an
abnormal and dangerous situation for democracy. Encouraged by the support of
political parties and leaders in the Union, we will again submit the European
Appeal and the
signatories list to the European Council in the days leading up to the October
3rd negotiations,” concluded Tchoboian.