ANSA English Media Service
December 17, 2004
EU: ARMENIANS PROTEST AGAINST TURKEY’S ENTRY
BRUSSELS
(ANSA) – BRUSSELS, December 17 – Several hundreds of
Armenians protested on Friday in Brussels near the Justus
Lipsius Palace where the European Council was discussing
Turkey’s bid to enter the EU demanding that the EU urge Ankara
to recognise the genocide against Armenians as a condition for
UE entry.
The protest was organised by the European Armenian
Federation, a huge community of some one million people.
Armenians from various European countries came to Brussels to
protest “against this Turkey in Europe” as they had written on
many banners. The biggest group came from France where some
400,000 Armenians live. Other groups came from Spain, Greece,
the Netherlands, Sweden and from Italy, mainly from Milan and
Rome where the largest Italian Armenian communities live.
The protesters wanted the EU to set as a pre-condition for
the start of accession talks the recognition of the genocide
against Armenians committed by the Turks between 1915 and 1923
which claimed some 1.5 million lives.
The Armenians were not the only ones who protested against
Turkey’s possible entry in the EU.
Dozens Turkish immigrants in Europe organised a sit-in in
Brussels against the policy of the Turkish government, including
the EU accession. (ANSA).
From: Baghdasarian