October 26, 2005 - 13:56 AMT
European Commission President: Turkey Should Acknowledge Armenian Genocide and Open Armenian Border
"We should bear in mind that Turkey is an important state and has big potential from the viewpoint of the social and economic future of Europe," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated when delivering a speech at Harvard University. "However the problem of Kurds and national minorities still remains a very delicate matter for Turkey. National minorities in that state constantly face infringement of human rights," he noted. When touching upon the Armenia-Turkey relations Jose Manuel Barroso said that Ankara is developing relations with Greece and should set the same line towards Armenia. "Turks should acknowledge the reality of the Armenian Genocide. Orhan Pamuk's case is an inadmissible step from the standpoint of freedom of speech. Turkey should refrain from simplified attitude towards the Armenian issue. Europeans dislike the words "there was no Genocide". Ankara's best move would be the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide and opening the borders with Armenia," European Commission President stated.