Together with the Cyprian and Kurdish issues the issue of the Armenian Genocide should also be included on the list of the preconditions proposed by the EU to Turkey
Turkey will try to benefit from the EU as much as possible, and will try to take advantage of all the possible factors to strengthen its economic and military power.
The issue of the Armenian Genocide is on the agenda of the EU again. In fact, this issue has always been under discussion, only now, when the leaders of the EU have restarted discussing the ways of Turkey's integration into the European Union, the recognition of the Armenian Genocide together with the Cyprian and Kurdish issues may become a serious stumbling block for Turkey.
On December 14 the Europe Armenian Federation for justice and Democracy (EAFJD) organized demonstrations in Brussels, calling the EU to include the issue of the Armenian Genocide on the list of the preconditions proposed by the EU to Turkey for its integration into the European Union. The Armenians of Europe said "No" to Turkey denying the Armenian Genocide, and announced that it is necessary to keep the Copenhagen criteria, which include the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on the list of the preconditions proposed to Turkey in order to be integrated into the EU. "We are not against Turkey's membership; we are against the Turkey, which isn't willing to leave and recognize Cyprus, the Armenian Genocide and the rights of the Kurdish people. While the European Union announced about the necessity of Turkey's respect for human rights and the recognition of Cyprus, the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide has never been a precondition for Turkey's integration," said the Europe Central Committee Representative Murad Papazyan.
The European Armenian Federation thinks that the change in the basic approaches of the negotiations with Turkey is a rather positive step. This gives chances for political debates over the question whether or not Turkey's integration into Europe is a natural progress for the European Union itself. "Even today, when the Europeans cannot define whether the relations with Turkey will develop within the context of "privileged partnership", we know that Turkey will try to benefit from the EU as much as possible, and will try to take advantage of all the possible factors to develop its economic and military power," announced the Head of the (EAFJD) Hilda Choboyan.
No matter how hard Ankara tries to accuse the Armenian lobby of "upsetting the national interests of the USA and Europe", more and more countries come to realize that Turkey must be morally responsible for the crimes committed in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923, since the very Turkey of Atatürk is its assignee. It should be accepted that the Armenian Organizations of Europe in their demand to recognize the Armenian Genocide have achieved more noticeable success, than the American Community. There are several reasons for that and among them there are some which are of political and national character, as well as one, which is of geographical character. The USA, because of the distance, cannot feel the threat, hung over Europe in the form of the Turkish factor. The annual growth of the Turkish population in Europe comes to 1.6%. According to some assessments the number of the Turkish migrants reaches up to 40 million, which makes the 12% of the entire population. This number is rather impressive, if we take into consideration the tendencies of its growth. Moreover, ethnic Turks possess sits in the parliaments of a number of European countries, such as the Netherlands and Belgium. There are a lot of public organizations lobbying Turkish interests and which are financed by Ankara. But like in Europe, in America the Armenians are not alone in their fight for justice. Simply the USA doesn't want to spoil its relationship with Ankara yet
The Americans of Greek origins support the Armenian fight for the Genocide recognition. As the Greek NEO Magazine writes, the wall of the Genocide denial is about to fall down. One of the key factors of the success of the Armenian and Greek lobby is that they could finally pull down the wall of denial of the Armenian Genocide and this issue is not being discussed any more. "In spite of the continuing campaign for rewriting the Turkish history, the bribery of the politicians and the threats to the national interests of the nation, who dared to recognize the history, the issue of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 is again in the center of attention," it said. It is emphasized in the article that the Armenians are not alone in their fight for justice. The Americans of Greek origins have been cooperating with the Armenians for a rather long time for the official recognition of the truth. "The Greeks have also suffered genocide. In 1914-1923 in the Ottoman Empire, the Asia Minor and Pontus more than one million people were killed, the Greek city Smyrna was burned down and its entire population was killed. The genocide of the Pontus Greeks destroyed an old community. The Greeks were resettled from the entire Asia Minor, while they had lived there for 3 thousand years. In 1997 the U.S. Congress drafted a bill about the memorial day of the Greek genocide. Meeting Turkey's the bill remained in the Committee only," says the NEO Magazine.
The European Armenian Federation thinks that the change in the basic approaches of the negotiations with Turkey is a rather positive step. This gives chances for political debates over the question whether or not Turkey's integration into Europe is a natural progress for the European Union itself. "Even today, when the Europeans cannot define whether the relations with Turkey will develop within the context of "privileged partnership", we know that Turkey will try to benefit from the EU as much as possible, and will try to take advantage of all the possible factors to develop its economic and military power," announced the Head of the (EAFJD) Hilda Choboyan.
No matter how hard Ankara tries to accuse the Armenian lobby of "upsetting the national interests of the USA and Europe", more and more countries come to realize that Turkey must be morally responsible for the crimes committed in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923, since the very Turkey of Atatürk is its assignee. It should be accepted that the Armenian Organizations of Europe in their demand to recognize the Armenian Genocide have achieved more noticeable success, than the American Community. There are several reasons for that and among them there are some which are of political and national character, as well as one, which is of geographical character. The USA, because of the distance, cannot feel the threat, hung over Europe in the form of the Turkish factor. The annual growth of the Turkish population in Europe comes to 1.6%. According to some assessments the number of the Turkish migrants reaches up to 40 million, which makes the 12% of the entire population. This number is rather impressive, if we take into consideration the tendencies of its growth. Moreover, ethnic Turks possess sits in the parliaments of a number of European countries, such as the Netherlands and Belgium. There are a lot of public organizations lobbying Turkish interests and which are financed by Ankara. But like in Europe, in America the Armenians are not alone in their fight for justice. Simply the USA doesn't want to spoil its relationship with Ankara yet
The Americans of Greek origins support the Armenian fight for the Genocide recognition. As the Greek NEO Magazine writes, the wall of the Genocide denial is about to fall down. One of the key factors of the success of the Armenian and Greek lobby is that they could finally pull down the wall of denial of the Armenian Genocide and this issue is not being discussed any more. "In spite of the continuing campaign for rewriting the Turkish history, the bribery of the politicians and the threats to the national interests of the nation, who dared to recognize the history, the issue of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923 is again in the center of attention," it said. It is emphasized in the article that the Armenians are not alone in their fight for justice. The Americans of Greek origins have been cooperating with the Armenians for a rather long time for the official recognition of the truth. "The Greeks have also suffered genocide. In 1914-1923 in the Ottoman Empire, the Asia Minor and Pontus more than one million people were killed, the Greek city Smyrna was burned down and its entire population was killed. The genocide of the Pontus Greeks destroyed an old community. The Greeks were resettled from the entire Asia Minor, while they had lived there for 3 thousand years. In 1997 the U.S. Congress drafted a bill about the memorial day of the Greek genocide. Meeting Turkey's the bill remained in the Committee only," says the NEO Magazine.
