The European Parliament urges Turkey to come to terms with its past on the Armenian Genocide

The European Parliament urges Turkey to come to terms with its past on the Armenian Genocide –

Brussels – European Parliament members unanimously adopted a resolution commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The European Parliament urges Turkey to “come to terms with its past” on the “Armenian Genocide” 100 years after it took place.

The joint text – agreed by parliament groups on Tuesday (14 April) also calls on “those EU member states that have not yet done so and EU institutions to recognise it”.

It says Turkey should “start a genuinely transparent public debate with a view to recognising the genocide”.

It also says Turkey should “normalise relations … with Armenia”.

The statement comes as little surprise after the EU assembly first recognised the 1915 genocide in 1987.

But it’s likely to draw fire from Ankara, which vigorously defends Turkey’s reputation and which is concerned that recognition could prompt reparation claims.

Turkey this week recalled its Vatican ambassador after the Pope described the killings, by the then Ottoman Empire, as “the first genocide of the 20th century”.

For his part, Selim Yenel, its EU envoy, told EUobserver on Tuesday that: “The EP is acting as prosecutor, judge, and jury without a dialogue on this issue with the parties concerned. During the events of 1915 everybody suffered, but Turkey doesn’t play the blame game”.

“We’ve always looked toward the future in a positive manner and still extend our hand for reconciliation. However, this hand has been turned down at every opportunity. Such a pity”.

His “hand for reconciliation” refers to the Armenian-Turkish “protocols” of 2008.

The accord was designed to normalise relations and for Turkey to open its border with Armenia, but it fell by the wayside when Turkey tied its ratification to Armenia’s withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory which it claims from Turkey’s ally, Azerbaijan.