Analysis: EU says ‘yes’ to Turkey talks
By Gareth Harding, Chief European Correspondent

Washington Times
Dec 17 2004

Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 17 (UPI) — The European Union took a giant
step towards shedding its image as a rich, Christian club with
an aging population and spluttering economy Thursday when it gave
the green light to start membership talks with Turkey — a poor,
populous and predominantly Muslim state with a secular government,
booming growth and most of its landmass in Asia.

“Tonight, the European Union opened its door to Turkey,” European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told reporters in Brussels
at the end of the first day of a summit of EU leaders in the Belgian
capital. Membership negotiations — which will deal with everything
from farm subsidies to state aid for energy companies — will start
on Oct. 3, 2005, and are likely to last at least a decade.

The details of the agreement will be thrashed out Friday, when EU
leaders will also tackle the thorny issue of Cyprus. Turkey refuses
to recognize the divided Mediterranean state — which became a member
of the bloc in May — but EU presidents and prime ministers expect
Ankara to soften its attitude towards the Greek-speaking half of the
island before it starts talks. “What kind of message does it send
when you do not recognize all the members of the club you want to
join?” asked Barroso earlier Thursday.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the
rotating presidency of the EU, will try to sell the carefully worded
deal to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan over breakfast
Friday. “I genuinely believe this is an offer Turkey should accept,”
said Barroso. However, before leaving for Brussels, Erdogan said he
would not sign up to EU membership at any price.

The historic decision, which Ankara has waited 45 years for, will
change both Turkey and the EU for good. By 2015 — the earliest the
country is likely to join the 25-member bloc, Turkey’s population
is expected to jump from 71 to 82 million, boosting the Union’s
numbers to almost 600 million after the entry of Bulgaria, Rumania
and Croatia later this decade. As voting strength in the Council of
Ministers and the EU parliament — the club’s two legislative bodies
— is based largely on population, Turkey would overtake Germany to
become Europe’s largest and most powerful state.

The EU, a small, prosperous clique of Western European states for
almost half a century, would also see its point of axis shift radically
eastwards. With the entry of Turkey, the bloc would have a foot-hold
in Asia, share common borders with Syria, Iran, Iraq, Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan, become a major player in the Caspian Sea and south
Caucasus regions, and increase its clout in the Middle East.

The entry of Turkey will also strengthen the EU’s fledgling defense
arm, increasing the club’s ability to carry out global peacekeeping
operations and acting as a buffer zone between a stable Europe and a
volatile Middle East. Turkey, a NATO member for more than 50 years,
has the largest armed forces in Europe and spends more of its budget
on defense than any other EU state — both great assets for a union
with big defense ambitions but pitiful resources.

Ahead of the decision, opponents of Turkey’s entry, such as Austria
and Denmark, argued that opening the door to the former Ottoman
power would lead to a wave of Turkish migrants flooding the EU. But
a recent report drawn up by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari
estimates that only 2.7 million Turks would head west after accession
— a figure equivalent to 0.5 percent of the Union’s total population.

Another fear raised by opponents was that Turkey’s entry would act as
a brake on EU growth and swallow up billions of euros of regional and
farm aid. However, a commission impact published in October estimates
the annual cost of Turkish membership by 2025 would be between $21.8
billion and $36.4 billion or between 0.1 and 0.17 percent of the
bloc’s gross domestic product.

Nevertheless, many Europeans remain fearful of Turkey’s entry, arguing
the country does not share European values, will import instability
from the Middle East, act as a Trojan horse for American interests,
weaken the club’s commitment to human rights and women’s equality,
and dilute attempts to create a political union.

After the European Parliament voted to back the opening of membership
talks by a 2-1 margin Wednesday, Hans Gert Pottering — the leader
of the assembly’s largest political grouping — warned, “If Turkey
becomes a member of the European Union, we will be enlarging ourselves
to death.”

There is widespread enlargement fatigue in the EU after the entry of
Malta, Cyprus and eight central European countries in May and ahead of
Bulgaria and Rumania’s accession in 2007. A commission opinion poll
last week showed majorities in France, Germany, Austria, Finland and
Luxembourg opposed to any new countries joining the ever-expanding
bloc. Another survey carried out by French daily Le Figaro Monday
showed 67 percent of French voters and 55 percent of Germans against
Turkish membership of the EU, with majorities in favor in Britain,
Italy and Spain.

“The challenge for Turkey is to win the hearts and minds of those
European citizens who are open to, but not convinced of Turkey’s
European destiny,” said Barroso Thursday. Yet 45 years after it first
applied for associate EU membership, Ankara still has a long way
to go before it can take its seat at the table of European nations
and EU leaders will have a hard task persuading their citizens that
Turkish membership of the bloc is in the interests of Europe.

Police ask for public’s help finding Armenian national
By Jason Kandel, Staff Writer

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Dec 17 2004

Slaying suspect still at large

NORTH HOLLYWOOD — Police sought the public’s help Thursday in
finding an Armenian national suspected in the Oct. 9 slaying of a
former professional boxer in a dispute over a credit-card scheme.
Hovik “John” Mankyan, 42, is suspected in the shooting death of Arsen
Aivazian, 30, of North Hollywood.

Mankyan, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for an armed assault
in 1991, is suspected of shooting Aivazian at Valley Plaza Park after
a dispute involving an organized-crime operation, police said.

Aivazian — a former welterweight boxer — punched Mankyan, who
pulled a gun and shot Aivazian three times in the chest, officials
said. He then fled with a man, identified as Alfred Gazaryan, 49,
in a light-color Toyota Camry.

Aivazian was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

“We’ve used every resource we can think of, and have not been able to
track him down,” said Detective Mike Coffey of the Los Angeles Police
Department’s North Hollywood Division. “We’d like to see closure in
this case.”

Mankyan is described as 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with black hair and
brown eyes, and a tattoo on his upper left arm. He has ties to North
Hollywood and Glendale.

Gazaryan, who is wanted for questioning, is described as 5-foot-10
and 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Mankyan and Gazaryan, who was convicted in 1995 of corporal punishment
on a child, met in state prison, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call North Hollywood homicide
detectives at (818) 623-4075. Or, after hours, call the watch commander
at (818) 623-4016.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Interfax, Russia
Dec 17 2004

Armenia sells Zangezur combine for $132 mln

Yerevan. (Interfax) – Armenia has sold the Zangezur Copper-
Molybdenum Combine to four companies for $132 million.

The sales contract was signed December 14 in Yerevan, Trade and
Economic Development Minister Karen Chshmaritian said at a news
conference.

He said 60% of ZMMK shares went to Germany’s Cronimet Mining, 15% to
Yerevan’s Pure Iron, 12.5% to Armenian Molybdenum Production (AMP)
and 12.5% to Zangezur Mining.

The new ZMMK shareholders will create a unified management company,
the minister said.

The first $45 million will be paid by January 1, and the remainder by
the end of 2005. The deal will be financed by a consortium of Germany
banks that includes Deutsche Bank, Chshmaritian said.

According to a preliminary agreement, $250 million to $350 million
will be invested in ZMMK by 2012. The final figure will become clear
after a feasibility study is prepared in 2005 for the company’s
modernization.

The investment is expected to boost ore production by 50% to 100%.
The project is expected to pay for itself in 6-7 years.

Armenia will stop exporting molybdenum concentrate as of January 1,
as it will all be processed inside the country, the minister said.
Given the current high world prices for molybdenum, even high
shipping costs are not expected to cause problems. The company
exports to Europe through Iran and Georgia.

Zangezur decreased production by 2.1% year-on-year to $24.8 billion
dram in the first half of 2004.

ZMMK mined 8.1 million tonnes of ore in 2003, and produced 6,300
tonnes of molybdenum and 11,000 tonnes of copper in copper
concentrate. The Kadzharan copper and molybdenum mine, which ZMMK
works, has the largest reserves of any in the former Soviet Union.

di-ve News, Malta
Dec 17 2004

Turkey’s EU membership prospects being weighed – Malta says yes
but…

by Ronald Mizzi, di-ve news ([email protected])

PM Gonzi attends EU summit

BRUSSELS/MALTA, (di-ve news)–December 16, 2004 — 2100CET–PM
Lawrence Gonzi is attending a European Council summit in Brussels
that above all will discuss whether negotiations with Turkey over EU
membership should start or not. Prior to the summit Gonzi declared
Malta’s favouring position of starting negotiations with Turkey for
EU accession, saying that Turkey is a country with Mediterranean
regional interests. He however stated that Malta would be calling for
certain conditions that strengthen religious tolerance and human
rights in the country together with strict regulations regarding the
movement of people. And despite that MEPs have already adopted a
resolution saying that Turkey has made impressive progress in
respecting the political criteria, enough for negotiations on EU
membership to start, opinions remain divided.

The European Parliament has in fact acknowledged that problems
continue to exist, such as regarding minority rights, religious
freedoms, trade union rights, women’s rights, the role of the army,
Cyprus and the relations with Armenia. Therefore it stressed that, in
the first phase of negotiations, priority should be given to the full
application of the political criteria. In case of serious breaches of
the political criteria, negotiations must be suspended.

MEPs also underlined that starting negotiations will not
automatically result in Turkey’s accession and that appropriate ways
will have to be found “to ensure that Turkey remains fully anchored
in European structures”, should negotiations not be successfully
concluded.

MEPs were satisfied that Turkey had fulfilled a number of
recommendations and requirements included in earlier EP resolutions,
such as the abolition of the death penalty, the extension of
important fundamental rights and freedoms, reduction of the role of
the National Security Council and the lifting of the state of
emergency in the south-east. But they said that Turkey still had to
adopt further reforms and put these, as well as current reforms, into
practice. Thus it would have to lift all remaining restrictions on
broadcasting and education in minority languages; put an end to the
discrimination of religious minorities; completely eradicate torture;
draft a new constitution; lower the threshold of ten percent in
parliamentary elections; disband the village guard system in the
south-east; apply ILO standards for trade union rights; limit the
role of the army further; continue the process of reconciliation with
Armenia and recognise the Republic of Cyprus. MEPs also mentioned the
eradication of violence against women, freedom of expression and
press freedom as issues they would monitor closely.

The Parliament also referred to earlier conclusions of EU government
leaders that “the Union’s capacity to absorb new members, while
maintaining the momentum of European integration, constitutes an
important criterion for accession, from the point of view both of the
Union and of candidates for accession”. And it noted that Turkey
could only become a member after the EU’s long-term budget planning
for the period from 2014 onwards has been decided upon.

While France favours Turkey’s EU accession, Germany and Austria fear
that its potential as the second-largest EU member state means that
it can block decisions. On the other hand, Commission President Jose
Manuel Durao Barroso supports the starting of negotiations with
Turkey but urged the Muslim country to start recognising Cyprus.

The summit, the last under the Dutch Presidency, will also discuss
when it would be appropriate to start negotiations with Croatia and
the level of negotiations reached with both Bulgaria and Romania.

Darchinyan eyes title belt

Wodonga Border Mail, Australia
Dec 17 2004

BOXING: Vic Darchinyan intends to “destroy” International Boxing
Federation flyweight champion Irene Pacheco in their world title bout
today on a potentially huge day for Australian boxing.

Darchinyan enters the ring at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
in Hollywood, Florida, this afternoon, just a few hours before Shannan
Taylor fights Thailands Sakda Sorpakdi for the less prestigious World
Boxing Foundation super middleweight title.

Darchinyan, 28, who re-located to Australia after representing Armenia
at the 2000 Olympics,|has won all 21 of his professional bouts,
16 by|KO.

Colombian Pacheco, 33, has an immaculate professional record of 30
victories, 23 by KO.

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
 
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2004
CONTACT: Alex Karapetian
Email: [email protected]

AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH A DIFFERENCE: A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE IN WASHINGTON AND YEREVAN

Washington, DC – Since its founding in 1977, the Armenian Assembly’s
Summer Internship Program has provided an opportunity to over 800
talented college-aged students to gain valuable experience in the
nation’s capital.

Following the success of the Washington program, the Assembly launched
a similar program in Armenia in 1999 to give students an opportunity
to work in Armenian government agencies, meet with Armenian and Nagorno
Karabakh officials and tour historical sites throughout the region.

This past summer, Christine Heath of West Bloomfield, Michigan and
Alex Vartan of Fresno, California gained a better understanding of the
inner workings of Washington, while California-native Eliz Agopian,
a Columbia University graduate in Public Health, gained hands-on
experience in Yerevan.

“Prior to coming to Armenia, I felt removed from Armenia and my
Armenian culture. I had heard many stories that made me fearful that
I might be disappointed from my visit. Instead, Armenians amazed me
with their hospitality, cheerfulness and intelligence. I realized that
Armenia faces some substantial challenges, but also shows incredible
potential,” she said upon her return from her internship at the
Armenian Ministry of Health in Yerevan.

Heath is currently a junior at the University of Michigan studying
English and Communications. This past summer, she was placed as an
Assembly intern at United Press International (UPI) headquarters in
Washington, where her news reports were published on several occasions.

“I was given the chance to write and publish news stories for
an internationally recognized news wire service,” Heath said. “In
addition to this great work experience, I was given the chance to fully
explore my cultural background by spending three months living with
Armenian-American students who taught me so much about my heritage.”

Heath’s internship experience has not only expanded her knowledge of
Armenian history and culture, but has helped her reach her goal for
a career in media.

“I plan to continue my education in media studies and hope to someday
find my way back to Washington, DC,” she added.

Like Heath, Stanford University graduate and 2004 intern Alex Vartan
gained valuable work experience while interning at the Senate Banking
Committee.

“The internship program gave me an unparalleled view into the workings
of our government, and I was especially impressed that the Assembly was
able to place me in an internship that so closely matched my interests,
having a BS and MS in Management Science and Engineering,” Vartan said.

Not only did he gain valuable work experience, he, like all prior
interns, met with dozens of Congressional members, policy-makers and
academicians. “The wide variety of speakers and other outside events
rounded out a summer which exceeded my expectations in every way.”

The Assembly is accepting applications for the 2005 Terjenian-Thomas
Assembly Internship Program in Washington, DC and the continuing
program in Yerevan. The internship programs provide college students
of Armenian descent an opportunity to work in the nation’s capital
and Yerevan while taking part in a full schedule of educational,
cultural and social activities.

Students who are accepted to the program will be placed in internships
– typically in congressional offices, government agencies, think-thanks
and media outlets – based on their educational backgrounds and
work experiences. Interns also have the opportunity to meet with
Members of Congress, policy makers and noted academicians through the
popular Capitol Ideas and Lecture Series. Partial and full housing
scholarships are available to qualified applicants on a competitive
basis.

To learn more about both programs, download application
forms or apply online, go to the Assembly Web site at
The deadline for
completed application for the Washington program is January 15, 2005,
and Feb. 15, 2005 for the Yerevan program. For additional information
or assistance with the application process, please contact Alex
Karapetian, Intern Program Manager, at 202-393-3434 ext. 245 or via
e-mail [email protected].

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of
Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-110A

Photographs are available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following
links:

Caption: L to R: Assembly 2004 summer intern Alex Vartan with Intern
Program Manager Alex Karapetian in Washington, DC.

Caption: 2004 Intern Alum Christine Heath, far right, during a meeting
with Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). Also pictured is Assembly interns
Kristen Stamboulian, far left, and Laurie Sagherian.

Caption: L to R: Armenian Assembly 2004 Yerevan interns Eliz Agopian,
Marina Nazarbekian and Alexandra Kazarian.

–Boundary_(ID_ZiWCS8g56DsBY8vfHQhe1Q)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri leader says certain forces interested in spoiling ties with Georgia

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
17 Dec 04

[Presenter] Several hours ago Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived
together with his family at precinct electoral commission No 6 of [Baku’s] Sabayil
district constituency No 29 and cast his vote.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

[Correspondent over video of Ilham Aliyev] The president also touched on the
current situation in the Nagornyy Karabakh peace process. Mr Aliyev said that
a new framework in the dialogue, i.e. the Prague process, was in the best
interests of Azerbaijan.

[Aliyev speaking to journalists] What is the Prague process? To put it
simply, it means a stage-by-stage solution. As you know, Azerbaijan’s position on t
his issue is definite and resolute. I am very glad that the forces engaged in
this issue are moving closer to this position. The stage-by-stage solution is a
way out of this problem. Therefore, the future negotiations should be held
only in this framework. I think if the talks are held constructively and if
Armenia does not abandon the position that has been agreed, as was the case in the
past, then we can reach some agreement.

[Correspondent] The head of state touched on the decision to ban trucks from
crossing the Azerbaijani-Georgian border. He said that representatives of the
two countries’ relevant bodies are continuing their investigation in Tbilisi.
However, Aliyev stressed again that the Baku government will not open the
border until it gets full guarantees that the cargo will not be transported to
Armenia.

[Aliyev] This will not be possible. We have put an end to this. We cannot
allow this at any cost. If a normal working system is created there, all borders
will open, of course. If this does not happen, then the border will remain
closed. We understand that this damages us and Georgia to some extent. But we
have no other way out.

[Correspondent] As for the recent problems of our compatriots in Georgia, the
president described these developments as a provocation aimed at damaging
relations between the two countries.

[Aliyev] It is also a fact that Azerbaijanis living in Georgia are Georgian
citizens. Of course, they should respect Georgian laws. They should not
tolerate infringements of the law or provocation. There are some forces wishing to
deal a blow to relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan. We know who these
forces are. Unfortunately, there are such forces inside Azerbaijan. But these
forces are mainly outside Azerbaijan. We cannot allow the strategic alliance
between Georgia and Azerbaijan to be damaged.

[Correspondent] The president also commented on discussions about Turkey’s
membership of the EU. Turkey should be a full member of the EU, the head of
state said. He added that double standards should not be applied in this issue and
no conditions should be set to the Ankara government.

Etibar Mammadov and Mirtofiq Miralioglu, “Son Xabar”.

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany
Dec 17 2004

Setting the last stele
Holocaust Memorial in Berlin finished after years of debate

By Michael Jeismann
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

The last steles of the central Holocaust Memorial in Berlin were
erected on Wednesday. There was a small celebration, and the group
parted in the knowledge that something had been accomplished after
years of debate.
Although it was a slow journey from the initial steps in the 1980s,
the context in which this symbol of remembrance stands appears to
have changed equally rapidly, almost secretly. Maybe architect Peter
Eisenman would have been well-advised not to set the last stele into
the ground at all – in the same way that the master builders of the
Middle Ages used to incorporate a little fault into their perfect
buildings, in order not to be accused of arrogance against God.
Meanings will soak in yet between the steles that we can at best
guess today. And a small irregularity could have shown how little
even the best architect is a master of remembrance.
Doubtless the most important change is the one which turned the
German memorial into a European one. Unlike back in the 1980s,
Eisenman’s field of pillars will no longer be able to be understood
sufficiently as a place of German remembrance. The memorial has been
made international. It hardly points implicitly at all to German
omissions and memory gaps – after all, the remembrance of the murder
of the Jews did not begin with this memorial.
Rather, the completed memorial unexpectedly refers of all things to a
historical gap and is directly connected, not only chronologically,
to the European integration process. The historical gap did not open
up in German or another European national history, but rather is
yawning in the community of states which is the European Union.
There is no doubt that up to a short time ago, the EU managed very
well without a history, and sometimes one might almost have thought
that the absence of history was a prerequisite for the functioning of
the community. If that was once the case, however, it is no longer
so. The European free trade zone has become a political community
where it is not only a question of the states’ budget balances.
Although historians like Jacques Le Goff or Wolfgang Reinhard have
carved out equally vividly and productively the common
characteristics of a European history, they too would not assume that
the structural common ground could be politically stylized in
symbolic acts and used for the widespread consolidation of
identities. What determines what the most recent European memory is?
After the fall of the Wall, the European unification process at the
political level and through national educational theories promoted
the remembrance of the genocide of the Jews, which functions like a
medium. It is unquestionably a means of the “assimilation of all
Europeans” of which Nietzsche spoke. A common European memory of the
extermination of the Jews received binding institutionalization at
the Stockholm Holocaust Forum four years ago. This was only feasible
because the persecuted and murdered Jews were understood in their
totality as belonging to the third category, something which could
not be defined in purely national terms.
Thus, since the 1980s, the policy of remembrance in Europe made the
Jews European. National governments thereby gained a common,
supranational point of reference for at least a theoretical added
value. It appears strange that the Holocaust memory is now to be
similarly cross-national and have a tendency to create unity, as
anti-Semitism did in certain epochs.
At least, in the past 20 years, a positive exclusion of the Jews took
place through which they were utilized as a means of Europeanization
which, unlike all other imaginable historical points of reference,
did not cause old national differences to resurface.
Every effort to cash in symbolically on a European history of
dispossession would in all likelihood lead to the greatest
calamities, for the dispossessed have not let themselves be stylized
as a third category up to now. Nor can they be denationalized, even
from a great distance – for the simple reason that their nationality
was, after all, the reason for their dispossession.
One only has to listen to what Armenians and Turkish people say and
demand with regard to the Holocaust for it to become clear how
differently, indeed, conversely, one can refer to the Europeanized
memory of the extermination of the Jews. The final stele is the first
stone in a fledgling European history.

Erdogan: Turkey’s Accession Into The E.U. Will Result In Compromise
Of Civilizations

Anadolu Agency
Dec 17 2004

BRUSSELS (AA) – In a meeting with Turkish columnists in Brussels,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that Turkey’s
accession into the European Union will result in compromise of
civilizations. ”Our European friends are aware of the role Turkey
can play in harmonizing relations between civilizations. There are
now many European circles that look at Turkish membership as crucial
and absolutely necessary,” told Erdogan.
In response to a question on Turkey-Armenia relations, Erdogan
replied that if and when a positive approach is witnessed from the
Armenian side, Turkey would be ready to open its border gate with
Armenia. ”Whatever took place in history must remain in history. We
must build our new world on peace. We are positive towards Armenia.
We want national borders be respected. We have made Turkish air space
available to Armenian commercial planes. There is no reason as to why
we should not open the border gate as well. However, we want to see
the same positive attitude from the Armenian side as well. An
important part of Azerbaijan is still under Armenian military
occupation. This fact should not be ignored and forgotten,” said
Erdogan.
Erdogan said Turkey is prepared for a temporary ban on the free
movement of Turks in EU countries. ”Yet a permanent ban on the free
movement of Turkish nationals would be against the EU laws and
regulations.”
In reference to the issue of Cyprus, Erdogan remarked that
Turkey is ready to discuss Cyprus during its entry talks with the EU.

He noted that it would mean failure of all efforts if EU leaders
put a text which they would not say ”yes” on the table. ”I hope
they won’t,” he added.
Turkey expects the formal announcement on the conclusion of the
EU summit tomorrow (Friday) at 13.00 hours. ”It would be wrong to
declare the summit’s decision as victory. We must not be spoiled by
our success. Furthermore, a possible negative summit decision should
not be viewed as a big disaster. Whatever the decision at the summit,
Turkey can continue to develop on its own feet,” expressed Erdogan.

Chirac under fire over stance on Turkey’s bid
By John Thornhill in Paris

FT
December 16 2004 20:16

Jacques Chirac, France’s president, was fiercely criticised by his
own supporters on Thursday after he reiterated his strong support
for Turkey’s entry to the European Union.

Several politicians also warned that the domestic row over Turkey
could jeopardise the chances of France approving the EU’s constitution
in next year’s referendum. Each EU member state must approve the
constitution before it can come into force.

On Wednesday night, Mr Chirac gave a rare television interview
explaining why he supported Turkey’s bid. He said it was vital to pull
Turkey towards democracy, stability and prosperity in Europe. The EU
should encourage Turkey to join the 25-member organisation so long
as it fulfilled the necessary conditions and promised a referendum
on Turkey’s membership when it is on the verge of joining, probably
in 10 to 20 years’ time.

The French president also rejected the idea of offering Turkey a
“privileged partnership” with the EU, suggesting it would be demeaning
for such an important country.

Members of Mr Chirac’s UMP party, who have supported the idea of just
such a “privileged partnership”, yesterday reacted with dismay to
the president’s stance. Some observers suggested his position could
also cloud any plans he still had of seeking a third presidential
term in 2007.

Alain Madelin, a former government minister and UMP deputy, said he
deplored the president’s failure to take account of “any democratic
debate, or any vote”. He said it was incredible for the president
to take such a momentous decision on his own personal initiative and
only allow voters to have a say in a refe rendum in many years’ time.

Nicolas Sarkozy, UMP party president and potential rival for the
French presidency in 2007, said Mr Chirac created an “incontestable
difficulty” given that 72 per cent of party members were opposed
to Turkey’s entry. Mr Sarkozy, speaking in Israel just before Mr
Chirac’s interview, said Turkey’s accession would dilute the EU’s
effectiveness. “The more numerous we are, the less integrated we
become. Mr The less integrated we are, the weaker we become.”

But Mr Chirac did receive some support on Thursday from an unlikely
quarter: the leadership of the opposition socialists. “Jacques Chirac
has had the merit of being clear, that’s to say that he has come
round to the position of the European Commission and the position
of the Socialist party as well,” said Ségolène Royal, a prominent
Socialist leader.

But even the Socialist party has its divisions on the Turkey
issue. Robert Badinter, a Socialist senator, denounced Mr Chirac’s
“capitulation” to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish prime minister, over
Cyprus and the recognition of the Armenian genocide. “Everything
that displeased Mr Erdogan has been withdrawn at the start of the
negotiation. That is called a capitulation before even embarking on
a negotiation,” he told French TV.

–Boundary_(ID_ydx5JxmCjdDrtPjT7FSU5w)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress