Turkey-EU meeting delayed over Armenian Genocide issueFebruary 12, 2015 - 15:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A planned joint parliamentary meeting between Turkey and EU representatives was postponed for a month due to lawmakers’ busy agenda, the Turkish co-chair of the joint commission has said, after a European lawmaker accused Ankara of delaying the event in order to avoid criticism, Hurriyet Daily News reported. Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission (KPK) Co-Chair Afif Demirkıran said a commission meeting scheduled for Feb 18 and 19 in Istanbul has been postponed to March because 25 KPK member lawmakers will have to attend discussions on the much-debated security bill in Ankara. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Demirkıran ruled out claims that the decision was politically-motivated and was a reaction to the change motions filed concerning the Progress Report on Turkey’s accession bid currently being prepared by the European Parliament. Some 442 motions have been filed by European Parliament lawmakers to toughen the language of the report, including calls on Ankara to recognize the Armenian Genocide and removal the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the EU’s terror list. Demirkıran said the European Parliament’s Progress Report urged reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, but stressed that Turkey rapporteur Kati Piri is “aware of Turkey’s red lines” on the issue. A day before, one of the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteurs, German Christian Democrat party member Renate Sommer, said Turkish side’s request for delay was “incomprehensible behavior.” In a statement, Sommer suggested that the Turkish government backed away from the meeting because it feared possible reactions from European parliamentarians, particularly over the issues of press freedom and the ongoing Cyprus tension. Hannes Swaboda, the leader of the Socialist group in the European Parliament, posted a message on his Twitter account, indicating the tensions between Ankara and Brussels. “Cold climate in Istanbul - also politically. But we need to keep channels of discussion and dialogue open,” Swaboda tweeted. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Great success”: Pashinyan pleased with new border protocol Pashinyan has described the signing by Armenia and Azerbaijan of a protocol on delimitation in Tavush as “a great success”. |