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EP RESOLUTION ON TURKEY HAS BEEN CLEARLY DRIVEN BY FEAR OF ANKARA
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.10.2007 15:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 24 October, the European Parliament adopted a
resolution on the EU-Turkey relations.
26 amendments were tabled by various political groups and
parliamentarians, among which 3 by the rapporteur herself, Mrs,
Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, Netherlands).
Eventually, most of these amendments were rejected with the exception
of one proposed by Mrs Oomen-Ruijten "strongly condemning the recent
conviction of Sarkis Seropyan and Arat Dink under article 301"
and others which condition further accession "to the EU integration
capacity, in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2006
European Council" and the Copenhagen Criteria."
Other amendments tabled by French MEPs (Conservatives, Liberals
and Socialists), Greek and Estonian Socialists, Communists and
Souverainists, which clearly mentioned the demand of recognition of
the Armenian Genocide were rejected.
"This resolution has been clearly driven by fear of the Turkish threat
to intrude into Northern Iraq," said Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson
of the European Armenian Federation.
"The European Parliament aligned on the positions of the European
executive bodies. It just says what is expected by the Commission. It
does not say anymore which can edify and serve as guidelines for the
European Commission and Council. Through this mistake, the European
Parliament sells off the European conscience," she continued.
The Federation thinks that this resolution stems from the aggression
of the pro-Turkish lobby in response to the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Our European deputies, who cringe to Turkey in an attempt to avoid
addressing its failures, are using the wrong method. This is a dead-end
route which deprives Turkey of any upwards and which encourages
xenophobic and ultranationalist forces. It does not benefit anyone,"
Mrs. Tchoboian added.
The Federation informs that the very same day of the vote, Turkish
Grey Wolves mobs invaded the streets in Brussels, threatened the
public order in aggressing peaceful merchants and bystanders and
injuring policemen who tried to interpose. "The demission of the
European Parliament in defending the European values encourages these
criminals and their supporters in Turkey to propagate their heinous
and destabilizing ideology in Europe," she concluded.
During the preceding debates which tackled many issues in the EP,
the European Commissioner to Enlargement, Mr. Olli Rehn made some
very hard statements to condemn the "authoritarian regime" in Russia,
violations of human rights and freedom of speech in this country. When
addressing Turkey, he should have worded similar criticisms but he
did not. His statements - unsuitably affable - disclosed once again
the double standard of the Commission on these issues.
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.10.2007 15:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 24 October, the European Parliament adopted a
resolution on the EU-Turkey relations.
26 amendments were tabled by various political groups and
parliamentarians, among which 3 by the rapporteur herself, Mrs,
Oomen-Ruijten (EPP, Netherlands).
Eventually, most of these amendments were rejected with the exception
of one proposed by Mrs Oomen-Ruijten "strongly condemning the recent
conviction of Sarkis Seropyan and Arat Dink under article 301"
and others which condition further accession "to the EU integration
capacity, in accordance with the conclusions of the December 2006
European Council" and the Copenhagen Criteria."
Other amendments tabled by French MEPs (Conservatives, Liberals
and Socialists), Greek and Estonian Socialists, Communists and
Souverainists, which clearly mentioned the demand of recognition of
the Armenian Genocide were rejected.
"This resolution has been clearly driven by fear of the Turkish threat
to intrude into Northern Iraq," said Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson
of the European Armenian Federation.
"The European Parliament aligned on the positions of the European
executive bodies. It just says what is expected by the Commission. It
does not say anymore which can edify and serve as guidelines for the
European Commission and Council. Through this mistake, the European
Parliament sells off the European conscience," she continued.
The Federation thinks that this resolution stems from the aggression
of the pro-Turkish lobby in response to the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Our European deputies, who cringe to Turkey in an attempt to avoid
addressing its failures, are using the wrong method. This is a dead-end
route which deprives Turkey of any upwards and which encourages
xenophobic and ultranationalist forces. It does not benefit anyone,"
Mrs. Tchoboian added.
The Federation informs that the very same day of the vote, Turkish
Grey Wolves mobs invaded the streets in Brussels, threatened the
public order in aggressing peaceful merchants and bystanders and
injuring policemen who tried to interpose. "The demission of the
European Parliament in defending the European values encourages these
criminals and their supporters in Turkey to propagate their heinous
and destabilizing ideology in Europe," she concluded.
During the preceding debates which tackled many issues in the EP,
the European Commissioner to Enlargement, Mr. Olli Rehn made some
very hard statements to condemn the "authoritarian regime" in Russia,
violations of human rights and freedom of speech in this country. When
addressing Turkey, he should have worded similar criticisms but he
did not. His statements - unsuitably affable - disclosed once again
the double standard of the Commission on these issues.