92003E2037

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2037/03

by Miquel Mayol i Raynal (Verts/ALE) to the Council

(18 June 2003)

Subject: Turkey's denial that it is engaged in genocide against the Armenian people

Over the last few months the Turkish authorities' policy of denying that they are engaged in genocide against the Armenian people is becoming increasingly aggressive. According to the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy the Turkish Government (through its Education Ministry) is conducting a campaign to counter accusations that it is engaged in genocide against the Armenians. The Ministry is organising indoctrination seminars for teachers and civil servants with a view to ensuring that, in the nation's classrooms, teachers deny that genocide is taking place (even if, in so doing, they restrict their freedom of speech). Furthermore, in a decree of 14 April, the Ministry called upon primary and secondary schools to organise lectures conveying the message that, in Turkey, neither Armenians nor any other peoples against whom genocide has been perpetrated have ever suffered persecution of any nature. Teachers have also been called upon to encourage their pupils to write essays on the topic of fighting the genocide accusations.

The distortion of historical truth in the classroom is a practice which runs counter to European education standards. Furthermore, a genocide-denial policy goes against European values relating to the protection of human rights and of minorities (and, therefore, against the Copenhagen political criteria).

Does the Council consider the Turkish authorities' policy of denial to be compatible with the principles laid down in the Cooperation Agreement and with Turkey's acceptance as a candidate for EU membership?

Does the Council not think that public acknowledgement by the current Turkish authorities of the genocide being perpetrated against the Armenian people (as recognised by the European Parliament in June 1987 in its resolution A2-0033/87(1) and in various subsequent resolutions) should be an essential requirement to be met prior to the start of any accession negotiations with Turkey in the near future?

(1) OJ C 190, 20.7.1987, p. 119.

Reply

(13 October 2003)

1. The Council is fully aware of the sensitivity of the questions concerning the treatment of the Armenian people under the Ottoman empire and is conversant with the resolutions of the European Parliament on the subject of relations between Turkey and Armenia.

2. The requirements to be met by Turkey in order to enable a decision to open accession negotiations are specified in the political part of the revised Turkey accession partnership, which the Council adopted in May this year. The genocide issue is not addressed there.

3. The Council welcomes, however, contacts between Armenia and Turkey with a view to improving understanding on both sides. Under the Association agreements both with Turkey and with Armenia and in the framework of enhanced political dialogue, the Council is encouraging Turkey to work towards establishing good neighbourly relations with Armenia.