Europarliament: Genocide Recognition Should Be Precondition for Turkey EU Accession

PanARMENIAN.Net - The European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) voted late last evening on the Eurlings report on "Turkey's progress towards accession" and its 343 amendments. This mostly critical report of Turkey was adopted by 53 votes, with 6 against and 8 abstentions, reports the European Armenian Federation. With regard to the question of the Armenian Genocide which was constantly discussed during the debates, a majority of MEPs from the main political groups (EPP, PSE, ALDE, GUE) adopted two similar amendments which reiterate its call on Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide as a precondition for its accession. In addition, the AFET "strongly condemns the racist and xenophobic 'Talaat Pasha committee' for gravely infringing European principles, and the demonstrations in Lyon and Berlin, aimed to deny the Armenian Genocide". It calls on Turkey to abolish this committee and end its activities. The European Armenian Federation informs that the AFET also adopted a compromise amendment disputed by many MEPs, which expresses a whole series of obscure proposals such as the opening of the Turkish archives and reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. The AFET committee also invites Turkey "to establish, without preconditions, good neighborly relations with Armenia and to end the economic blockade and to open the land border in order to fulfill the priorities of the Accession Partnership and the obligations defined within the Negotiating Framework".