"France to include 'Armenian genocide' in Turkey's EU bid talks: FM
www.chinaview.cn 2004-12-20 23:24:30
PARIS, Dec. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- France will include the issue of the'Armenian genocide' when negotiations over Turkey's admission to the European Union (EU) start next October, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier told F rench RTL radio on Monday.
'What has to be done now is to start membership negotiations which are going to be very long, very difficult, during which we will put all issues on the table, including that of the Armenian genocide, with the hope of obtaining a response from Turkey before membership,' said the minister.
Barnier used the term 'Armenian genocide' last Tuesday in frontof the French parliament instead of 'tragedy' -- the term used by the Turkish authorities -- which Barnier had earlier used in debates on the issue. "
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