Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

EU puts off decision on Turkey partnership accord
by Reuters - 20 November, 2000.
Posted: Sunday, November 26, 2000 07:50 pm CST

BRUSSELS, Nov 20 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers on Monday put off a decision on an accord to help prepare for the day Turkey enters EU accession talks.

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine told a news conference the ministers had deferred a decision on the Accession Partnership accord until December 4,
just days before a December 7-9 EU summit in Nice, for lack of time at their monthly consultations.

EU officials said agreement could not have been expected at the meeting due to a continuing disagreement between Greece and its EU partners over Athens' demand for a reference to "the solution of Aegean territorial disputes in its
short-term aims."

Turkey was only given the status of EU membership candidate a year ago at the
EU's Helsinki summit, after ties between Turkey and its traditional arch-rival Greece improved.

Ties have soured again recently.  Ankara reacted angrily last week to a European Parliament resolution calling on Turkey to acknowledge what it called the "genocide" of Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks.

Greece's demand to have the solution of Aegean territorial disputes in Ankara's short-term aims would also be opposed by Turkey as a barrier to its EU membership.

Related Information...

Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News Archives