July 1, 2005 - 07:52 AMT
ERDOGAN: EU CANNOT URGE TURKEY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
"There are no terms like the Armenian Genocide recognition and opening of borders with Armenia among the Copenhagen principles the EU has stipulated on Turkey. In case such terms are imposed, Turkey will not accept them", Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is on visit to Baku at present, stated. In his words, recognition or non-recognition of the Armenian Genocide and opening of borders with Armenia are Turkey's domestic issues. "It is not the EU but Turkey to decide on these issues. Till today we have been honoring all the commitments undertaken to the EU including the terms of the Copenhagen principles", he said.