EP 2010 Report on Turkey: Same Author, Same Indulgence

BRUSSELS, Belgium—On Thurs., Feb. 10, the European Parliament’s (EP) Committee on Foreign Affairs adopted the 2010 Progress Report on Turkey prepared by its rapporteur Oomen-Ruijten (EPP-Christian Democrats, Netherlands).

The committee adopted the report despite much criticism (including those voiced from within Oomen-Ruijten’s own party) over the draft, including the summarized format of the text that makes it difficult to analyze critical issues concerning EU-Turkey relations.

Issues completely omitted from the draft—included Turkey’s refusal to recognize Cyprus (an EU member-state); the “Kurdish Question”; and the Armenian Genocide—became the subject of many amendments introduced by the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) of various political factions.

Members from different political affiliations, i.e. Christian Democrats (EPP), Socialists (S&D), Communists (GUE), Conservatives (ECR), and souverainists (EFD), have demanded that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide. However, as in previous years, they came up against Oomen-Ruijten’s inflexibility on the issue. She simply rejected any mention of the genocide with claims of “balance” and “moderation.”

Thus despite the several amendments offered by the MEP’s of all political groups and aimed specifically at the paragraph on Armenia-Turkey relations, Oomen-Ruijten—failing even to obtain the withdrawal of her own colleagues’ amendments—only agreed to modify the paragraph to state the key proviso of “without pre-conditions” attached to the ratification, by Turkey, of the protocols signed by the two countries.

She also agreed to withdraw the passage originally urging Turkey “to contribute to the solution of the frozen conflict around Nagorno-Karabagh.”

During previous years, the EP has demanded the abrogation of Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, under which anyone who recognizes the Armenian Genocide can be prosecuted.

The European Armenian Federation deplores the refusal of Oomen-Ruijten to call for the removal of that and other articles of the penal code that impede freedom.

“It would be a fatal mistake for the European Parliament to adhere to the Turkish AKP government’s deceptive culture of half-measures dealing only with political cosmetics when it comes to fundamental issues of human rights and political ethics. The European Parliament should continue to vigorously call on Turkey to admit its state responsibility in the genocide of the Armenians,” stated Hilda Tchoboian, chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.

In November 2008, the EU adopted the framework decision against racism and xenophobia, naming the denial of genocide as a punishable offense. “Europe will be unable to make this fundamental demand on Turkey if it does not require of it today the outright recognition of the genocide it has perpetrated against the Armenian people,” said Tchoboian.

The resolution is scheduled to be voted on during the first plenary session in March 2011.

18 Comments

  1. Well, at some point in the very near future, the real truth will come out about what transpired before, during and after WWI. I don’t believe that members of the ARF are going to enjoy that time, which will occur soon enough.

    I admit that I’m not a big fan of the AKP party in Turkey (being a Kemalist myself), but I do agree that this is not a one-sided story, as certain groups would like the world to believe (for the last 100 years). I’ve said many times that if certain parties would own up to what truly occured during the time frame in question, then peace and prosperity would follow between the three nations of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey. Many of you are still critical of President Sarkisian and his vision for peace and forward regional development. Maybe he did some of the things which some of you accuse him of. No one is perfect (look at Turkey’s Erdogan. I don’t care for him and feel that he needs to be replaced with a CHP member), but at least the two leaders were talking and made strides for peace. Just because it wasn’t perfect, as the ARF and Armenian diaspora wanted, they pressured Sarkisian (via mass protests) to change his stand, thus torpedoing the protocols. With the exception of the few ARF hardcore members on this site, most will appreciate that Armenia’s future is intricately linked to her regional neighbors, and that Armenia needs them more than they need her.   

  2. What has the Armenian Genocive have anything to do with Turkey’s membership with the EU? Cyprus and the Kurdish question definately, but something that happened almost 100 years ago has no relevance in EU-Turkish relations.

  3. You Mr.turkish Ali do you know who is Imam Ali???

    With knowing Imam Ali how you can carry his name!.
    Imam Ali’s name …
    Imam Ali was a real prophet and fair man.
    Do Shias forget Imama Ali ( Karam Allah wajhahu)
    They remember him each year and 40 days after
    and almost every day rehearsing his poems…Why…
    because he was killed by criminals.
    Any killing can never be forgotten even after a millennium.
    For EU genocide is more important than the others
    because it deals with innocents’ life.
    If you carry Imam Ali’s name go and read his books
    and clear your sins toward your unfair attitudes…
    Not only against Armenians but againt every one.
    Sylva

  4. Ali and Robert… two clowns who have NO CLUE what they are blubbering about.. i am not surprised because any news that puts Turkey out in the spot light and show her true colors stirs a nerve in these individuals…… Robert who has been on our sites day in and out and knows how the commentators feel about him and his Anti-Armenian more specifically Anti-Diasporan attitude can say whatever he wants but he knows that his comments are now become laughable to say the least…are you not tired of talking nonsense Robert?…

    Ali stated.. what has The Armenian Genocide have to do with Turkey’s membership with EU? OH MY GOD.. how unintelligent can one be to ask this quesiton and not see the connection? Ali have you followed, read or researched history and current affairs.. do you understand what implications TUrkey faces BECAUSE she has not recognized the ARmenian Genocide???? DO you know that Turkey is THE BIGGEST violators of human rights on this earth?…. well because of these two major factors, Turkey CAN NOT BE ACCEPTED IN EU… The Armenian Genocide HAS ALOT TO DO WITH TURKEY AND her acceptance in EU.  EU will not and hope will always shut the doors on Turkey’s face because her two- faced persona sickens the world.. the world is sick of Turkey’s duplicity but yet their coniving, lying, cheating, manipulative ways run deep.. deep in her national society and govt…. everyone knows about it.. everyone sees it and everyone understands it.. why Turkey puts up a show every year it is beyond me….. some nerves of some Turks who post on our site without having one shred of  intelligence but acting like they do…. no wonder you people have no shame, no remorse, no way to see how your arrogance and ignorant comments do to the descendents of the Genocide Survivors… but then again.. can’t ask much from someone who is closed minded, unwilling to open up and understand and have so much hate against Armenians in general… THANK GOD to those Turks who are no like Roberts, Alis, Zekis, Ahmets, Murats of the world.. I praise to God to protect the Turks who are on the side of justice and truth…

  5. As long as this is about and the policy of the Turkish government is 100 percent correct. 
    And lest not kid ourselves it is about land.
    When I look at the EU all I see are bankrupt states, that is why it is not important to join anymore as it was in the early 2000s. So I rather keep my land and impose and suffocate Armenia. What was the population growth of Armenia this year? Minus 1000? 2000? 5000? Now our strategy should be to wait and when the time is right, liberate Armenian occupied lands in Azerbaijan. I am so looking forward to that day. But I also in the same time find it amusing that every year more Armenians come and spend their money in Turkey thus helping our economy. I mean we suffocate you economically and yet you come and spend your hard earned cash in Turkey. Pathetic.

  6. Plus atleast we have European territories and are in most of the important European institutions. Can Armenia and failed Armenians say the same?

  7. Dear Robert:
    Thank goodness you live in the US where you can speak freely instead of living your beloved Turkey.  Look at the nice country that white people have created for you Turks to come live in.

  8. Robert, you cannot be serious. Every reputable analysis in the world confirms that the protocols failed because Turkey added preconditions to them. Armenia said it would ratify the protocols after the Turkish parliament did. We are still waiting…

  9. How did “Sarkisian change his stand?” Armenia’s stand was, is, and always will be reconciliation without preconditions.
     
    It’s Turkey who changed its stand–first signing protocols which do not mention Artsakh and then bringing up Artsakh as a precondition to ratification. Grow up, Robert.

  10. Ali:
    re: “..Now our strategy should be to wait and when the time is right, liberate Armenian occupied lands in Azerbaijan. I am so looking forward to that day…”
    Why weren’t you in Artsakh in 1990s with your Grey Wolf pack ? Armenian troops liberated hundreds  of your buddies from their miserable existence: you could have been one of the lucky ones.
     
    re: “…When I look at the EU all I see are bankrupt states, that is why it is not important to join anymore as it was in the early 2000s…”
    Is that why you ‘proud’ Moslem Turks are on your knees begging to be let into the Christian EU for the past 25 years ?
    Is that why several million Turks are stuck like glue in Europe and don’t want to come back to your ‘prosperous’ Turkey ? Turks are hated and despised in Europe (look up what Angela Merkel said about you Turks; look up what the Austrian MP said about you Turks; look up what Sarkozy said about you Moslems.) They don’t want you there. They want you out.
    Every factory in Turkey that produces industrial and consumer goods was designed by (Christian) Europeans, mainly Germans.
    Every piece of military hardware you Turks use was developed by Christian Europeans, Christian USA, and Christian Russia.
    Without the Christian West opening up their markets to  Moslem Turkey, you’d be as prosperous as Turkmenistan or Mongolia. You Turks always prosper at the expense of Christians, yet strut around with false pride of your ‘Turkishness’.
     

  11. Avery eventhough we are hated, how many countries have acknowledged the Armenian genocide in the EU? And the ones that do how has their policy changed towards Turkey? And you are very right Muslims and Christians cannot live together. Here is another fact for you showing how much we need the EU, in 1991 France’s GDP was bigger than 5 times that of Turkey. Today it is just a bit bigger than two times that of Turkey. Go check the World Bank estimates for the Turkish GDP  for the years 2025 and 2050. So again yes in the past it was important to become a member, but is it really important today? And keep believing that Turkey is still wasting money and buying weapons from other countries, but I hope to god that Turkey and Armenia go to war. That way you can see firsthand our “non-existing” defense industry.

  12. Ali:
    re: “…Go check the World Bank estimates for the Turkish GDP  for the years 2025 and 2050…”
    When you can point out ANY projection by ANYBODY done 50 or even 25 years ago that came true today, I’ll check all the World Pojections to your heart’s content.
     

    re: “And keep believing that Turkey is still wasting money and buying weapons from other countries”
    Read what I said in my post: ‘developed’ is not the same as ‘buy’. What have you Turks actually designed/developed anything that’s manufactured in Turkey ? Every piece of military hardware was designed by Christian minds. Even what you copied from Israel, Israel copied from USA. Have you Turks actually designed anything ? I know  all about the weapons Turkey manufactures locally under license:  designed and developed by Christian engineers and scientists.
     

    re: “…Now our strategy should be to wait and when the time is right, liberate Armenian occupied lands in Azerbaijan. I am so looking forward to that day….”
    Why wait ? Armenia+Arsakh have a population of about 4 million. Turkey has a population of about 50 million real-Turks (I am not counting Kurds and others who  Turks label as ‘Turks’, and who are not). Armenia+Artsakh have a standing Military (Army+AF)  of about 65,000: Turks alone have a standing Military (all branches) of about 700,000. So I ask again: what are you waiting for ? You have better than a 10-to-1 advantage. What’s stopping you ?
     
    re: “…but I hope to god that Turkey and Armenia go to war. That way you can see firsthand our “non-existing” defense industry…”
    Sure you are hoping: will you be in the first Turkish tank that crosses into Armenia ? The one that will be incinerated ? Or the first jet shot down ?Armenia is not going to initiate war with Turkey. But if Turkey decides to invade Armenia, don’t be too confident of victory: Armenia is not Cyprus. Your Azeri buddies, about 8million of them, thought they could snuff out 200,000 of Artsakh’s Armenians without too much trouble: Armenians in Stepanakert are still waiting for Mr. Ebülfez Elçibey to come and hang the last one of them in the central square (…as he confidently promised he’d do….)

  13. Apres Avery jan.. …el chem dimanum.. i am getting really upset with this Anti-ARmenian and suicidal blood thirsty Turk who can’t wait until he taste an ARmenian blood.. WOW

    Thank you Avery jan for your comments… helps me to control my anger ….

    G

  14. gayane:
     
    (you mentioned you are a young lady in another post, so….)
    A little advice from an older brother, if I may: re “… Էլ  չեմ  դիմանում…”
    You must learn to control your rage and righteous indignation and channel it: it takes time, but it can be done.
    The oldest trick in the book for the enemy is to mess with your mind, get you into an uncontrolled rage – so you start making mistakes.
    Unlike some other Armenians, I firmly believe in getting even: I don’t believe in turning the other check – someone hits us, we hit ‘em back, real hard.
    Some day in the future you may lead a company of warriors into battle.
    Or. you may lead a group of diplomats in tough negotiations that affect your people.
    In either case, keeping your cool will help you use your head: uncontrolled anger clouds the mind; we can only win by being smarter than the enemy.

  15. Avery…you are absolutely right… and i agree with you 1000%… I have not found a way to channel it the right way but as I read and learn, I obtain experience from people like yourself and the more experienced commentators… and I thank you for it..I am young compared to the knowledge and expertise on these pages…but in age i am in my mid 30s.. guess not too young anymore…:)

    But i love you and the rest of our passionate and knowledgeable commentators as my brothers and sisters and I am fortunate to have such worriers on our side… God Bless you and everyone else who believes in fighting for the cause and will not stop until we get our victory…

    G

  16. Thanks for every who understood my message and answered on my belhalf …and thanks for real Armenian hearts: Lucin, Gayane, Servart
    You are very dear to me
    I would very much like to know who is Mr.Vartan…
    If he is honest person let him present himself…
    What i meant as well,
    Did Americans raped indian girls …
    Slashed by their scimitars pregnant brides’ abdomens
    to guess the unkown sex…
    did they cheated young boys
    and threw innocent children into valleys…
    and many many other things
    Did they abolish their praying places…
    If you have such documentation
    Let me know
    Thanks
    Sylva

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