The European Union on Friday condemned a French bill that would
make it a crime to deny that the World War I-era killings of
Armenians in Turkey were genocide, describing it as
counterproductive at a critical stage in Turkey's EU entry
talks.
"We don't think that this decision at this moment is helpful in
the context of the European Union's relations with Turkey,"
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "This is
not the best way to contribute to something we think is
important."
On Thursday, French lawmakers in a 106-19 vote approved a bill
that would criminalize denying that the mass killings of Armenians
amounted to genocide. Turkey denounced the French lawmakers'
decision, saying it would harm bilateral relations.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the bill, "instead of
opening up the debate, would rather close it down, and thus have a
negative impact."
"We don't achieve real dialogue and real reconciliation by
ultimatums, but by dialogue. Therefore, this law is
counterproductive," Rehn told reporters.
Rehn said it came at a bad time as the 25-member bloc was trying
to avoid "a train crash" in negotiations with the predominantly
Muslim nation.
"The real issue now is to avoid a train crash because of a
slowing down of the reform process (in Turkey) and because of
Turkey not yet meeting its obligations" in EU entry requirements,
Rehn said.
Barroso said "the very sensitive issue" of Armenia should be
made by "Turkish society itself."
"Frankly, we don't think it is helpful that another parliament
outside takes a legislative action on a matter of historical
interpretation and analysis," he said.
The Armenia genocide issue has become intertwined with ongoing
debate in France and across Europe about whether to admit Turkey
into the EU. France is home to hundreds of thousands of people
whose families came from Armenia.
France has already recognized the 1915-19 killings of up to 1.5
million Armenians as genocide. Under Thursday's bill, those who
contest it was genocide would risk up to a year in prison and fines
of up to US$56,000.
Rehn appealed to Greek and Turkish Cypriots to help smooth
Turkey's talks.
"I trust that both communities on the island, all the parties
and especially all the EU member states will fully support
(efforts) to unblock the current stalemate on Cyprus," Rehn
said.
(China Daily October 14, 2006)
