EP Resolution on Turkey has been clearly driven by fear of Ankara

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.