Today the European Parliament ratified a resolution calling for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Ankara as an "essential term" for Turkey's accession to the EU. The resolution gives ok to opening the negotiations on Turkey's EU bid on October 3. The document was adopted with 356 votes "for", 181 "against" and 125 abstentions. To note, earlier, in December 2004 the EuroParliament adopted an amendment to the resolution "On Turkey's Progress for EU Membership" calling Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.