Chirac Apologized to Turkish Prime Minister

October 16, 2006 - 14:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - French President Jacques Chirac in a telephone conversation with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he felt sorry that the bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial was approved and added he would try his best to prevent it from becoming law.



According to the French leader, the adoption in 2001 of the law recognizing the events of 1915-1917 as the Armenian Genocide was sufficient for establishing the historical truth.



"The discussion on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial is rather rhetorical than juridical," Jacques Chirac said.



At that he asserted that the Armenian Genocide recognition should be one of the conditions for EU accession.



Meanwhile European Commission President José Manuel Barroso voiced anxiety over the slow process of reform in Turkey. He told BBC that Turkey will hardly become an EU member during earlier than in 15-20 years.
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