16.11.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. The Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit issued a special statement reading that European Parliament had no right to dictate to Turkey arbitrary decisions.
According to the Turkish NTV the Turkish Prime Minister stated that the decision "cannot be taken seriously" by Turkey. "The inclusion of Armenian genocide issues in the report on Turkey in the European Parliament is a very unfortunate matter, and the Parliament should listen to Turkey, as well," the statement said.
On November 15 the European Parliament adopted a special report regarding the possible membership of Turkey to the European Union (Turkey's progress towards accession). Mediamax was informed from the Armenian Foreign Ministry that one of items of the report calls upon Turkey to start dialog aimed at establishing diplomatic, trade and economic relations and to stop blockading Armenia. The other item of the report "invites the Turkish government and assembly to increase their support of the Armenian minority, particularly by publicly recognizing the genocide that they suffered," said a document.--0--