ARMENIANS IN EUROPE URGE TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT EU-TURKEY TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of Europe welcomed the Europarliament resolution urging Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide as a compulsory precondition for accession to the EU. «The decision, passed before the beginning of the talks on Turkey's accession to the EU, should be a guiding line for the Council of Europe and the European Commission,» says a statement of Hilda Tchoboian, the President of the Armenian National Committee of Europe (CDCA Europe). «We urge the FMs of EU member states to address the Genocide issue during the Luxembourg meeting October 3,» the statement runs. Out of the EU states only France has demanded for recognition of the Armenian Genocide to be a precondition of Turkey's accession to the EU. Last December President Jacques Chirac said he hoped Turkey would work in that direction. It should be reminded that the resolution «gave OK» to the launching of the talks on Turkey's accession to the EU October 3. The resolution simultaneously urges official Ankara to recognize the Armenian Genocide. It should also be noted that the resolution was passed with 356 MPs for, 181 against, and 125 abstained. Meanwhile Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated, «The Europarliament Resolution is not obligatory.» «No matter what a resolution they have passed, we will not surrender our position,» the Turkish PM said.