Turkish premier, French Assembly Speaker discuss EU, Cyprus, Armenian issue
Anatolia news agency
3 Feb 05
ANKARA
President of the French National Assembly Jean Louis Debre met Turkish
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday [3 February].
Debre asked Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the
implementation of reforms which Turkey fulfilled in the EU process as
well as Cyprus and Armenian issues, said sources.
Erdogan told Debre that France and Turkey share common values like
democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law. Noting that
Turkey tries to effectively implement the reforms it made in the EU
process, Erdogan said Turkey’s EU membership will further improve the
relations between Turkey and France. “It will also contribute to
economic relations,” he added. Erdogan said Armenian genocide claims
should be left to historians. “If their historians have claims, our
historians have claims too. They shall study Ottoman archives.”
Erdogan added Turkey does not have any problems with its Armenian
citizens. “Armenians should also open their archives,” he added.