91998E1780

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1780/98

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(11 June 1998)

Subject: Turkey blocks the election of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople

17 May 1998 had been set as the date for the election of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople following the death of Patriarch Karekin at the beginning of the year. However, the Turkish authorities have banned this election, postponing it indefinitely.

This is contrary to the provisions of the founding charter of the UN and the Treaty of Lausanne which Turkey itself signed and which provides for the non-interference of the Turkish authorities in the activities of the Armenian Church and the protection of all the Christian minorities living on Turkish territory. Of course, these provisions have never been respected; in fact the Turkish authorities have systematically exterminated all Christians (Greeks, Armenians and others) who have refused to abandon the land of their fathers.

Will the Commission state its official views on this matter and say what action it intends to take, since this is clearly yet another case of the violation of the religious rights of the Christian minorities in Turkey, a country which has been importuning the EU with its demands for membership but is continuing to use tactics used by totalitarian regimes?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(16 July 1998)

The Commission considers the improvement of the human rights situation and the continuation of democratisation of particular importance to the development of relations between the Union and Turkey.

At December's Luxembourg European Council, the Union reiterated that strengthening Turkey's links with the European Union also depended on that country's pursuit of the political and economic reforms on which it had embarked, including the alignment of human rights standards and practices on those in force in the Union. The Council added that closer ties also depended on respect for and protection of minorities. The latter naturally include the Armenians, for whose organisation the election of a Patriarch was crucial.

Despite the Turkish government's decision to suspend all political dialogue with the Union, the Commission will continue presenting the Union's views on such matters to Turkey.