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EU LEADER CALLS ON EUROPE TO FACE ITS PAST SINS
By Selcuk Gultasli
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 18 2006
Ahead of the Nov. 22 elections in the Netherlands, Dutch parties
stepped up efforts to win Turkish votes.
In the Netherlands, where several Turkish candidates were removed
from their party lists for denying the Armenian genocide, political
parties are being forced to revise their stance on the issue.
The Labor Party admitted to having acted impulsively by using the word
"genocide" and is now trying to win Turks' support, while Greens and
D-66, two parties which welcomed Turkish concerns from the beginning,
are raising their voices.
Turkish Green candidate Birgul Donmez held a joint press conference
with Green member Joost Lagendijk, the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary
Commission co-chair.
Donmez said the Greens did not pressure her over the Armenian issue,
adding: "I would quit if I were pressured."
Lagendijk recalled that many European countries had dark periods in
their history, so it would not be wise for Europeans to give lessons
to Turkey over the Armenian issue.
Lagendijk pointed out that the Netherlands had not yet apologized
for the massacres it committed when it left Indonesia in 1947.
"It is difficult for nations to face the dark parts of their history.
They can only do so when they have achieved democratic stability,"
Lagendijk said in support of Donmez.
Lagendijk : Turks Should cast Their Vote
Lagendijk said he had never supported Armenian allegations recognized
by the European Parliament, and criticized Dutch Christian Democrats
and Labor Party for removing certain Turkish candidates, adding:
"Turks will have made a huge mistake if they do not vote to show
their resentment at these two parties."
Lagendijk claimed the Armenian lobby exploited the genocide bill
approved by the Netherlands and added: "The point in approving the
bill was to encourage debate over the issue, but the parliament is
now trying to end debates. Many politicians disagree with the Armenian
lobby regarding the issue."
Donmez and Lagendijk criticized the D-66 party favored by Turks.
Donmez asserted D-66's stance on Turkish concerns, headscarves in
particular, was no different than the Christian Democrats' stance.
By Selcuk Gultasli
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 18 2006
Ahead of the Nov. 22 elections in the Netherlands, Dutch parties
stepped up efforts to win Turkish votes.
In the Netherlands, where several Turkish candidates were removed
from their party lists for denying the Armenian genocide, political
parties are being forced to revise their stance on the issue.
The Labor Party admitted to having acted impulsively by using the word
"genocide" and is now trying to win Turks' support, while Greens and
D-66, two parties which welcomed Turkish concerns from the beginning,
are raising their voices.
Turkish Green candidate Birgul Donmez held a joint press conference
with Green member Joost Lagendijk, the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary
Commission co-chair.
Donmez said the Greens did not pressure her over the Armenian issue,
adding: "I would quit if I were pressured."
Lagendijk recalled that many European countries had dark periods in
their history, so it would not be wise for Europeans to give lessons
to Turkey over the Armenian issue.
Lagendijk pointed out that the Netherlands had not yet apologized
for the massacres it committed when it left Indonesia in 1947.
"It is difficult for nations to face the dark parts of their history.
They can only do so when they have achieved democratic stability,"
Lagendijk said in support of Donmez.
Lagendijk : Turks Should cast Their Vote
Lagendijk said he had never supported Armenian allegations recognized
by the European Parliament, and criticized Dutch Christian Democrats
and Labor Party for removing certain Turkish candidates, adding:
"Turks will have made a huge mistake if they do not vote to show
their resentment at these two parties."
Lagendijk claimed the Armenian lobby exploited the genocide bill
approved by the Netherlands and added: "The point in approving the
bill was to encourage debate over the issue, but the parliament is
now trying to end debates. Many politicians disagree with the Armenian
lobby regarding the issue."
Donmez and Lagendijk criticized the D-66 party favored by Turks.
Donmez asserted D-66's stance on Turkish concerns, headscarves in
particular, was no different than the Christian Democrats' stance.