French MPs condemn Senate for dropping measure requiring referendum on Turkey's membership in EUJuly 1, 2008 - 16:32 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - 55 French MPs prepared a statement condemning the French Senate for not passing a constitutional amendment that would have put Turkey's future EU membership to a referendum. "England held a referendum in 1972. Can you imagine that we behave differently as regards Turkey, Russia, Morocco or Ukraine," the statement said, Anatolia News Agency reports. On June 26, France's Senate dropped a measure from a proposed law that requires a referendum on Turkey's membership in the European Union. It was one of the most sensitive parts of a broader institutional reform package going through the French Parliament and required a referendum before France could approve EU membership for any country whose population exceeds 5 per cent of the population of the entire 27-nation union. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |