MONITORING OF PRISONS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
15 Dec 04

The human rights organization `Center for Civil Undertakingsâ=80=9D
founded in October 2002 has been monitoring the prison of Shushi and
the remand prisonsince April 2003. The center sends reports on the
monitoring to the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the ICRC, the UN
Supreme Commissar on Human Rights, the organizations `Amnesty
International’ and `Penal Reform International’, as well as
corresponding agencies in NKR. The director of the Center for Civil
Undertakings Albert Voskanian said, the center has recently received
the permission of the NKR authorities to monitor all the five
regimes. On these days these five regimes have been monitored.

According to Albert Voskanian, the physical and psychological health
of the inmates, human rights, hygiene conditions, foodand recreation
are at a satisfactory level. The Center of Civil Undertakings made a
series of suggestions on elimination of drawbacks. According to the
press release of the organization, the center approves of the
abolition of capital punishment in NKR and appeals to transfer the
penitentiary institutions from the jurisdiction of the police to the
Ministry of Justice. Besides the monitoring the center gave 700 books
gathered by volunteers to the prison of Shushi and the remand
prison. In April 2003 the center held the first regional seminarin
Stepanakert devoted to prison reforms. Besides, the center works with
inmates who need psychological rehabilitation.

NAIRA HAYRUMIAN.
15-12-2004

ILHAM ALIYEV “TO SPARE NO EFFORTS TO LIBERATE TERRITORIES”

Azg/arm
16 Dec 04

Ilham Aliyev called for the EU, the CE and the UN to make more efforts
in the Nagorno Karabakh issue, when holding a speech at the London
Royal Institute of International Relations, Freedom radio station
informed referring to Reuters agency.

Emphasizing that he is for the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
issue, Ilham Aliyev didn’t exclude the military solution of the
issue. “Wewill never yield the aggression and will spare no efforts to
liberate our territories,” he said.

According to Azertag state agency, in London in Aliyev’s presence
Azerbaijan and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development
signed a credit agreement of $170 million. $110 million will be spent
on exploiting Shah Deniz gas mine, while $60 million will be spent on
the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum gas pipeline.

Baku-basedEkhonewspaper writes that Aliyev met with John Brown,
chairman of The British Petroleum, Jack Straw, British Foreign
Secretary, Tony Blair, British Prime Minister, as well as gave an
interview to Bloomberg TV withinthe framework of his two days official
visit to London.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baltic Times, Latvia
Dec 15 2004

‘U.S.A. works best when working with Europe’

A.Elizabeth

Many Europeans are waiting to see whether the second administration
of George W. Bush will change its tune toward Europe – be it “old” or
“new” – and toward Russia, which, after the recent events in Ukraine,
has been much criticized in the West. A. Elizabeth Jones, assistant
secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs and one of the
State Department’s leading experts on the Baltics, was in Tallinn
last month, where she shared some of her thoughts on these issues.
The following are excerpts from her roundtable discussion with
Estonian journalists on Nov. 9.

The Estonian units in Iraq currently have a mandate until July 2005.
Will you request an extension of this mandate?

In terms of the coalition itself, a lot of that depends on our
bilateral discussions – how is it that we are going to address the
particular situation. Of course, we are extremely grateful for
Estonia’s participation in the coalition. Now it is very important
that Estonia participates through the entire period of the run-up to
the Iraqi elections and then into the elections itself and then into
the period right after that. Depending on the situation, I am sure we
will have very detailed discussions between the United States and
Estonia on the military level about what capabilities might be the
most required in Iraq.

Do you expect a change in U.S. policy toward Russia in George Bush’s
second term?

No, I don’t think policy will change. We have for quite some time
been working very hard with our Russian counterparts to impress upon
them the importance we attach to constructive engagement – to working
on, in a constructive way, all of the issues that are of importance
to all of us. For instance, it is very important to us that we engage
constructively on counter-terrorism – particularly in the post-Beslan
period for Russia.

It is very important that we work on the broad range of issues on the
frozen conflicts; very important for Russia to engage constructively
to resolve the issues involving South Ossetia and Abkhazia; very
important for Russia to engage in the OSCE or whatever format – the
most appropriate format – is to resolve the issues involving
Transniestra and Moldova. It is very important for Russia to engage
in the issues of Nagorno-Karabakh. There are a whole set of issues
involved in Chechnya, involving free media, involving rule of law,
involving democracy. All of these issues have to be part of the
discussion that all of us, not just the United States, have with
Russia.

How do you feel about the conflict in Chechnya, and do you feel that
it can be resolved through military means?

We maintain very strongly, especially with Russia, that it cannot be
solved by military means. The only way to resolve the issue in
Chechnya is to address the political, economic, social issues that
underlie the conflict.

What do you plan to discuss with Population Minister [Paul-Eerik]
Rummo?

Well, I want to get his sense of what he sees as the situation here
with the Russian minority-that is, are the programs working? One of
the things that we are proud of, as members of NATO, is all of the
work that was done in order to assure that these minority issues were
addressed in the run-up to being invited to join NATO. It was one of
the requirements on the table, actually, in terms of membership, to
address minority issues in an appropriate way. I am interested in
checking with him to see how that issue has progressed.

Is there a problem with the Russian-speaking national minority?

Our sense is that the issue is being addressed very well here,
actually.

Do you foresee an improvement in the U.S.A.’s relations with Europe,
especially with France, over the next four years?

One of the things that is very interesting to focus on is the
extremely good work and good cooperation that have been underway
between the EU institutions and the U.S. on counter-terrorism. This
has particularly been the case since 9/11, obviously. The kinds of
arrangements and agreements and exchanges that have been agreed
between the home and justice affairs ministers of the European Union
and the United States are really terrific. Intelligence exchange, law
enforcement cooperation – all those things work extremely well.

We are in constant conversation with the European Union on issues
involving border controls, issues involving Central Asia, the
Caucasus and particularly on issues involving Ukraine and Belarus.
We, the United States, find, that when we collaborate and cooperate
with the European Union to work on free and fair elections in
Ukraine, or to work on changing the situation in Belarus, or to work
on best ways to assure stability and prosperity in Georgia, we do a
much better job when we can do it together.

We find that our representations in Ukraine or in Uzbekistan or in
Azerbaijan – or, wherever it is – work better when the United States
and the European Union work together. It is received better when the
message is the same. We have huge collaboration, and it is not hard
to get to the point of what to do next in each of these countries in
our conversations with the European Union.

The biggest issue that divided us was Iraq. We still have a
disagreement with several European countries-certainly not all of
them-about whether we should have gone to war in Iraq. Now, that
question is over. We find that every single one of our European
friends and allies, including France and Germany, say that we
disagreed then, but it is now behind us. Now we must find a way to
address all of the issues that remain.

While the human rights situation in Russia has been deteriorating,
the U.S. has avoided criticizing Russia. Is there a reason for this?

Well, you are not reading or listening to many of the things that we
have been saying. Let me just lay out for you a few of the things
that underpin the public statements that we make. First, I would
point you to the op-ed piece that Secretary [Colin] Powell put in
[the Russian newspaper] Izvestia at the end of January. That was a
very, very clear and very detailed statement about the importance to
us of all of the issues on the agenda – along the lines I outlined at
the beginning of our conversation this morning. We use those themes
in a variety of ways.

That said, our goal is to get the kind of improvements that the
international community seeks in Russia. The question then is how
best to get those improvements. Is it better to have quiet
conversations, or is it better to say things publicly? We try to find
the balance with that so that in public we say some things and we
have a much more extensive conversation in private in order to
accomplish our goals. That’s always the key. Are we trying to make
statements or are we trying to get things done?

La Padanian, Italia
mercoledì 15 dicembre 2004

I ragazzi della Lega nel cortile dell’Europarlamento a Strasburgo:
l’Ue cerca invano di fermare la protesta

No alla Turchia, il grido dei giovani padani

IGOR IEZZI

STRASBURGO – I Turchi possono entrare in Europa, ma i Giovani Padani
non possono manifestare nel cortile dell’Europarlamamento a
Strasburgo; altrimenti spintoni, urla e manifesti strappati: l’Unione
europea, un moloch di burocrazia e inefficienza al soldo della
massoneria internazionale e dei poteri forti, ha cercato, invano, di
fermare la protesta del movimento Giovani Padani.
Inutilmente, perché le nuove leve della Lega Nord hanno comunque
portato la voce del popolo padano alle orecchie dei `potenti’ della
Ue che vogliono minare radicalmente il vecchio continente,
permettendo l’ingresso di un esercito di nemici islamici, 80 milioni
di mussulmani con un’età media di 27 anni.
Nella mattinata di ieri, circa un centinaio di aderenti al movimento
Giovani Padani e al Movimento universitario padano, ha sonoramente
bussato alle porte del Parlamento Europeo. Al grido di `no alla
Turchia in Europa’, il Mgp ha sventolato bandiere e issato i
cartelloni insieme ai ragazzi del Vlaams Belang, l’ex Vlaams Blok, e
dell’Alsace d’abord nonostante il freddo polare, 0 gradi, e la neve.
Sebbene la polizia francese avesse autorizzato il presidio nel
cortile dell’Europarlamento, la security della struttura ha impedito
l’ingresso dei giovani padani (purtroppo questi figuri non governano
il moloch continentale, altrimenti poveri turchi…) adducendo come
scusa ciò che successe due anni fa dopo un’analoga protesta sempre
dell’Mgp.
Allora un’europarlamentare diessina provocò i giovani padani, oggi la
security é intervenuta in anticipo, ferendo in maniera forse
irreparabile la democrazia.
«Un sintomo di quanto sia pericolosa e autoritaria l’Europa» ha
osservato l’europarlamentare della Lega Nord Matteo Salvini.
L’iniziativa è stata portata avanti comunque, compresa la preghiera e
la benedizione di Don Ugo alle storiche bandiere europee, quella di
Lepanto, il Sole delle Alpi e il cuore vandeano.
«Non vogliamo l’ingresso della Turchia ma il ritorno di Cristo – ha
detto Don Ugo -. Non tutta la Chiesa é caduta su posizioni
filoislamiche, cattocomuniste e progressiste. Che la Madonna ci aiuti
a schiacciare l’islamismo, speriamo che questa preghiera possa essere
ancora recitata all’ombra del campanile e non sia cancellata
dall’ombra del minareto».
Ma i servi delle lobbyes non potevano farla passare liscia ai giovani
padani. Così all’uscita dal cortile del Parlamento, i custodi del
potere hanno usato la forza, colpendo due giovani di Varese, tra cui
una ragazza. Ma era troppo tardi, la missione dei giovani padani era
stata ormai compiuta.
`Turkije is niet europees’ era lo striscione dei giovani fiamminghi,
`Turchia in Europa? No, grazie’ i cartelli dei giovani padani.
«La Padania é figlia di chi ha combattuto contro i Turchi – ha detto
Paolo Grimoldi, coordinatore federale dei giovani padani -. Non
possiamo permettere che il Paese islamico entri impunemente in
Europa. Sono estranei al nostro continente e anche se riconoscessero
il genocidio Armeno e Cipro del Nord, lo rimarrebbero: non erano, non
sono e non saranno mai europei. La Turchia è di quanto più lontano
esista dalla civiltà europea».
Un concetto ribadito da Francesco Enrico Speroni che ha spiegato come
l’unica possibilità per un maggior legame con la Turchia sia un
accordo economico. «L’Europa deve essere un’unione politica non una
società, – ha affermato Speroni – non basta pagare la quota per
entrarvi». Poi, lo stesso Speroni, ha annunciato che «domenica,
Umberto Bossi, nella sua veste di europarlamentare ha firmato la
richiesta di voto segreto sulla relazione della Turchia» «Tengono
fuori la Padania e fanno entrare i mussulmani» ha ribadito Maurizio
Parma, consigliere regionale emiliano del Carroccio presente durante
la manifestazione. «La Turchia non può entrare in Europa – ha
concluso Philip Clayes, europarlamentare fiammingo, al presidio
insieme a Frank Vanhecke, presidente del Vlaams Belang e a Spieler,
presidente degli alsaziani – , questo Paese non c’entra nulla con noi
né culturalmente né geograficamente. E non dimentichiamo le ragioni
economiche che ci spingono a contrastare una simile decisione: la
Turchia ci costerebbe 28 miliardi di euro all’anno, più di tutti i
paesi dell’Est messi insieme».

Xinhua News Agency – Spanish
15 Dic. 2004

Francia: Genocidio Armenia no condiciona conversaciones UE sobre
Turquía

PARIS

El ministro de Relaciones Exteriores francés, Michel Barnier, declaró
hoy al canal de la televisión estatal Francia 2, que el
reconocimiento de las acusaciones del genocidio turco contra los
armenios no condiciona el lanzamiento de las negociaciones sobre el
ingreso de Turquía a la Unión Europea (UE).

“Francia no pone como condición de peso dicho hecho para el inicio de
las negociaciones”, aseveró Barnier.

El reconocimiento de Turquía del genocidio del pueblo armenio
(aproximadamente un millón 500 mil personas murieron entre 1915 y
1917 bajo el Imperio Otomano) “era una interrogante, una interrogante
que traeríamos a colación en el curso de las conversaciones, y
tenemos unos 10 años para hacerla”, añadió el canciller.

Los Jefes de Estado y de gobierno de la Unión Europea decidirán a
finales de esta semana en la Cumbre de Bruselas si dan luz verde al
diálogo sobre la incorporación de Turquía.

“El proyecto europeo se basa en la reconciliación, lo que hicimos
nosotros, los pueblos galos y germanos, construir esta nueva Europa
sobre la base de la reconciliación… Por lo tanto, se pueden
reconciliar con sus enemigos de guerra, tienen que llegar a un
acuerdo con ustedes mismos, con su historia”, concluyó Barnier.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan, UK sign joint communique to improve ties

Turan news agency
15 Dec 04

Baku, 15 December: A joint communique has been signed on the results
of [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev’s visit to London on 13-14
December, the British embassy in Azerbaijan has said.

The document reads that during Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with Prime
Minister Tony Blair on 14 December, the sides expressed support for
the further strengthening of bilateral relations, the development of
Azerbaijan’s market economy and multiparty democracy based on the
supremacy of the law and the protection of human rights and freedoms.

Blair hailed Aliyev’s “determination” to carry out political and
democratic reforms in order to support the aforesaid goals by taking
into consideration the OSCE and the Council of Europe’s
recommendations.

Blair reiterated his country’s support for Azerbaijan’s independence,
sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Aliyev talked about a programme of measures aimed at improving
[Azerbaijan’s] business environment and supporting local and foreign
private investors, including those in the oil sector. The measures
also include the fight against corruption, reforms in the financial
system, improvements in the professionalism and independence of the
judiciary.

The sides agreed to continue military cooperation and train
Azerbaijani troops for participation in international missions,
dispatch British troops to Afghanistan and vice-versa via Azerbaijani
territory.

During the talks held in an expanded format, the sides supported
Azerbaijan’s rapprochement with the European Union with the aim of
carrying out reforms and expressed their readiness to help the South
Caucasus region re-establish peace, stability and good-neighbourly
relations.

They also agreed to continue joint efforts to find a peaceful and
standing solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. The sides
expressed support for the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts in this direction
and noted the important contribution of the Caspian region to global
energy security. They acknowledged the importance of making effective
use of oil incomes for long-term development, reiterated their
readiness to continue joint efforts in the fight against terrorism and
hailed the development of Azerbaijan’s relations with NATO.

The sides confirmed the important role of NGOs in the development of
democracy, accountability, human rights, human values and
inter-community relations. They agreed to improve cultural
cooperation and opportunities for Azerbaijani students to study in the
UK.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IRNA, Iran
Dec 15 2004

EP calls on EU to begin membership

The European Parliament said Wednesday that the European Union should
begin accession negotiations with Turkey “without undue delay”.

MEPs adopted a resolution during a plenary debate in Strasbourg
saying that Turkey has made “impressive progress” in respecting the
political criteria, enough for negotiations on EU membership to
start..

The resolution was adopted by 407 votes in favour, 262 against and 29
abstentions in a secret ballot.

The EP is the only elected institution in the EU, but its resolution
on Turkey is not binding .

The EP resolution will be given to EU leaders meeting in Brussels
Friday to discuss Turkey`s bid to join the European bloc.

However, the EP 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, said the resolution.

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.

Le Monde
15 décembre 2004

L’Europe est prête à ouvrir ses portes à la Turquie ;

Plus aucun obstacle ne s’oppose à l’ouverture des négociations
d’adhésion avec Ankara que devront décider, lors d’un sommet à
Bruxelles, jeudi et vendredi, les dirigeants des 25 pays membres de
l’Union. La France, qui a prévu un référendum, réclame toutefois que
l’issue ne soit pas garantie

Arnaud Leparmentier

BRUXELLES de notre bureau européen

Le SOMMET de l’Union européenne, convoqué jeudi et vendredi à
Bruxelles, devrait décider l’ouverture de négociations d’adhésion
avec la Turquie en 2005. L’intégration de la Turquie n’est pas
envisagée avant la fin de la prochaine PROGRAMMATION financière
2007-2013. Les négociations se dérouleront selon un processus destiné
à garantir à chaque étape que les règles de l’Union soient
effectivement mises en oeuvre, ce qui n’a pas été le cas dans les
élargissements antérieurs. A la demande principalement de la FRANCE
et de l’ AUTRICHE, une formulation de compromis doit encore être
trouvée afin que l’issue du processus reste ouverte. Lundi, à
Bruxelles, MICHEL BARNIER a également demandé à Ankara, sans en faire
un préalable à l’ouverture des négociations, de reconnaître le
génocide arménien.

Sauf coup de thétre, les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement européens,
réunis jeudi et vendredi 17 décembre à Bruxelles, décideront d’ouvrir
des négociations d’adhésion avec la Turquie. A deux jours de leur
conseil, le dossier est largement décanté. La bataille ne devrait
porter que sur des détails, certes importants ou affectifs, mais
mineurs au regard de l’enjeu.

« Les Turcs nous ennuient en prétendant qu’ils n’auront pas ce qu’ils
demandent. Ils auront l’ouverture des négociations et une date »,
rappelle un ambassadeur. En dépit des réticences de certaines
populations européennes, en particulier des Français, tous les
dirigeants veulent aller de l’avant. Le plus réticent, le chancelier
autrichien Wolfgang Schüssel, défenseur du « partenariat privilégié »
plutôt que d’une adhésion pleine et entière, ne brandit aucune menace
de veto.

Suivant les recommandations de la Commission, qui a considéré fin
octobre que la Turquie respectait « suffisamment » les critères
démocratiques dits de Copenhague, les « 25 » vont fixer jeudi soir au
cours d’un dîner la date d’ouverture des négociations. L’idée d’avoir
un nouveau rendez-vous courant 2005, pour vérifier une dernière fois
que la Turquie reste sur la voie des réformes, a été abandonnée. Elle
aurait contribué à éterniser le débat sur une adhésion peu populaire
et créé une crise avec Ankara.

Les Européens avaient précisé en 2002 à Copenhague que les
négociations s’ouvriraient « sans délai » après le sommet du 17
décembre. Mais Jacques Chirac veut gagner du temps, pour que ce début
de négociations intervienne le plus tard possible après le référendum
français sur la Constitution, histoire d’éviter que les deux débats
ne se télescopent. Le contretemps devrait être bref. Après avoir
réclamé une ouverture fin 2005-début 2006, Michel Barnier ne parlait
plus, lundi à Bruxelles, où avait lieu une réunion préparatoire des
ministres des affaires étrangères, que d’une ouverture « au plus tôt
au deuxième semestre 2005 ». Les pourparlers s’ouvriraient donc sous
la présidence du Royaume-Uni, grand partisan de l’adhésion turque, ce
qui est aussi le voeu du chancelier allemand Gerhard Schröder.

Le deuxième sujet litigieux porte sur le caractère des négociations,
dont il est précisé que leur issue est « ouverte ». Il s’agit là de
sauver la face des Turcs, qui ne veulent rien envisager d’autre que
l’adhésion, mais aussi des Français et des Autrichiens, favorables à
l’évocation d’une troisième voie en cas d’échec des négociations. Les
diplomates sont à la recherche d’une formule de compromis,
volontairement vague, stipulant que la Turquie restera quoi qu’il
arrive ancrée à l’Europe. Mais il n’est pas question d’expliciter un
quelconque statut spécial, partenariat privilégié ou scénario
alternatif. Ce serait humilier le gouvernement turc, qui a averti
qu’il le refuserait ; et c’est inacceptable pour le chancelier
Schröder, parce que cela ferait le jeu de son opposition
chrétienne-démocrate.

Malgré une mobilisation intense de la diaspora arménienne, la
dernière réticence française, le génocide arménien, ne devrait pas
non plus être une pierre d’achoppement. Certes, Michel Barnier a
demandé sa reconnaissance par Ankara : « Je pense qu’un grand pays
comme la Turquie doit faire son devoir de mémoire », a déclaré à
Bruxelles le ministre français qui, en invoquant la réconciliation
franco-allemande, a estimé que la Turquie, qui nie le génocide
arménien, devait également faire la paix avec ses voisins. Mais
Michel Barnier n’en a nullement fait une condition préalable à
l’ouverture des négociations d’adhésion.

Reste Chypre, dont le Nord est occupé par les Turcs et dont le
gouvernement chypriote grec n’est pas reconnu par Ankara. Mais nul ne
croit à un veto des Chypriotes grecs. A Bruxelles, leur ministre des
affaires étrangères, George Iacovou, a déclaré souhaiter que la
Turquie manifeste sa volonté de normaliser ses relations avec Nicosie
avant le sommet européen de mars 2005, ce qui équivaut, selon les
exégètes, à renoncer à en faire un préalable à l’ouverture des
négociations le 17 décembre.

Les Chypriotes grecs sont isolés en Europe, depuis que, contrairement
aux Chypriotes turcs, ils ont rejeté par référendum au printemps le
plan de réunification de l’île sous l’égide des Nations unies et
qu’ils bloquent un projet visant à aider économiquement le nord de
l’île. Le soutien de la Grèce va faiblissant, ce pays ayant obtenu
dans le projet de conclusions finales les garanties nécessaires pour
le règlement de ses conflits frontaliers avec la Turquie et ayant
fait de son rapprochement avec Ankara un axe stratégique de sa
politique.

D’autres réticences ont, elles aussi, été levées. Les Danois, qui
craignent une arrivée massive d’immigrés turcs en vertu de la libre
circulation des personnes, ont obtenu que l’on évoque de possibles
clauses de sauvegarde permanentes. Les Britanniques, qui tentaient de
s’opposer à ces clauses, disant qu’elles empêchaient une pleine
adhésion turque, ont eu droit aux sourires narquois de leurs
collègues continentaux, qui leur ont rappelé le nombre de clauses
d’exemption dont bénéficie l’Albion. Dans ce contexte, les diplomates
tablent sur un accord au Conseil européen de Bruxelles.

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Servizio di base in Italiano
mercoledì 15 dicembre 2004

UE: Turchia; Chirac, sforzo memoria su genocidio armeno

PARIGI, 15 dic

Jacques Chirac ha chiesto alla Turchia di fare “uno sforzo di
memoria” in relazione al genocidio degli armeni, nel 1915, che in
Francia e’ stato riconosciuto come tale da una legge. Senza porre la
questione esplicitamente come una condizione per l’adesione della
Turchia all’Unione, Chirac, parlando stasera a TF1, ha insistito
sugli “sforzi di riconciliazione e di pace” che hanno “costellato” la
storia europea. Questo sforzo “deve essere fatto dalla Turchia e,
sono certo, lo fara'”, ha aggiunto.

Associated Press Worldstream
December 15, 2004 Wednesday

European chief says now is ‘the moment’ to start membership talks
with Turkey

EMMANUEL GEORGES-PICOT; Associated Press Writer

The European Union should open membership talks with Turkey
immediately even though the mostly Muslim country has not yet met all
the requirements, the president of the European Commission said
Wednesday.

“In 10 years, Turkey won’t be the same Turkey as today … and
certain fears that exist today can be put aside,” Jose Manuel Barroso
told France-2 television station, speaking a day before EU leaders
were to meet in Brussels for an expected decision Friday on Turkey’s
bid.

“I believe this is the moment,” Barroso said, adding that Turkey has
made “an enormous effort to come join the European Union” and its
membership “would be very positive for Europe.”

The interview appeared aimed at persuading the French to go along
with EU membership talks for Turkey. The issue is highly divisive
here, and President Jacques Chirac was to address it in a TV
interview Wednesday night.

Chirac himself favors full membership for Turkey but has said that
this could take 10 to 15 years, while Prime Minister Jean-Pierre
Raffarin, a centrist, is skeptical.

A poll published in France on Monday in the daily Le Figaro showed
that 67 percent of those questioned opposed Turkish membership in the
EU. Chirac’s governing party, the Union for a Popular Movement,
favors a “privileged partnership” with Turkey – far short of being a
member of the EU.

Barroso dismissed the idea of giving Turkey a “privileged
partnership,” saying that such an arrangement is “not just” and
risked being seen by Turks as discriminatory.

He stressed that opening talks does not signify automatic membership,
although that is the goal.

“Turkey poses specific problems for us,” he said. The Turks “are not
yet in a position to become members.”

Turkey, with some 70 million people, “is a very big country, a
country which still has a considerable gap in development.”

Chirac planned to use his TV appearance Wednesday night to respond to
French concerns, an official of the presidential Elysee Palace said,
speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said that Chirac will stress points he will be looking
for at the summit, such as the mention in the conclusion of a “strong
link” between the EU and Turkey if it appears during membership talks
that Ankara is unable to meet European demands.

France also wants the question of recognizing an alleged genocide
perpetrated by Turkey against Armenians nearly a century ago to be on
the table during negotiations, according to the official.

Turkey has been accused of killing as many as 1.5 million Armenians
during a 1915-1923 campaign to force them from eastern Turkey. Ankara
vehemently denies this.

Foreign Minister Michel Barnier has said France would not demand that
Turkey’s recognition of the “tragedy” in Armenia be a condition for
EU entry.

The European Parliament on Wednesday called on EU leaders to open
membership talks with Turkey “without undue delay.” However, it urged
Ankara to carry out more democratic reforms and moves toward
recognizing Cyprus and to acknowledge the genocide.