THE EU WILL NOT TAKE THE FRENCH INITIATIVE SERIOUSLY

As a reply to a question regarding the initiative undertaken by France to make any denial of Armenian allegations regarding the events of 1915 a punishable offence within the EU, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said: “I do not believe that all 27 states will agree on this unfounded initiative. Turkey has more friends and allies in the European Union acknowledging how essential Turkey is for the European Union than aiming to exploit Turkey’s EU membership.

Meeting with Rene Van Der Linden, the former President of the Senate, in the Ministry for EU Affairs on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Turkey and the Netherlands, Minister Bagis replied to the questions and noted that this initiative would not necessarily have serious repercussions. He said: “There are several reasons for this. There is a general awareness that this situation is a result of the pressure of possibly losing the upcoming elections.  Recently the  President of Algeria was forced to make a statement under a tremendous  pressure exerted upon him. This statement of the President was remedied by later statements of experienced Algerian politicians.

I don’t believe  that the initiative undertaken by France will result in such serious consequences within the European Union. As you know,  the EU takes decisions on such matters unanimously. I do not believe that all 27 EU Member States will agree on this initiative.  Turkey has more friends and allies in the European Union acknowledging how essential Turkey is for the European Union than aiming to exploit Turkey’s EU membership. There is no doubt that these Member States will demonstrate the necessary awareness.  Furthermore, I believe that justice will prevail. Our Prime Minister did not receive a clear reply to  the  letter  he sent to Armenia seven years ago.

We have been the first Government to have taken the initiative in inviting Armenia to take constructive steps. Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been the first prime minister who invited Armenia to  face its history in return for the same. We took the first step and granted access to the archives. We also expect Armenia to grant access for the archives. All other countries, regardless of whether they were allied with Turkey or not during the events of 1915 could grant access to their own archives. We could all see what Germany, England and France have in their archives. We could see what kind of documents the charities of Boston have in their archives. Not only Turkish or Armenian academicians, but also the academicians from all over the world could search the archives. France should face its own history first before finding faults in others.

Upon the question about the Peace and Democracy Party (PDP) Leader Selahattin Demirtas's words concerning the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces General Necdet Ozel, Bagis said "PDP co-leader must firstly decide on his status. Is he a representative of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, an elected representative of the Republic of Turkey, or the spokesman of a blood guilty organization which he cannot even say terrorist?"

Remarking that there is no other nation which calls its army “the home of the Prophet" and calls its soldier with its prophet's name, Minister Bagis said:

"The army is the apple of our eyes. There may be some people in the army who caught up in wrong businesses, like in some other institutions. Our army would wipe them away anyway. In other institutions, too, there are people who break the laws or do unlawful things. Turkish judiciary or the institutions' own internal monitoring mechanisms would do what is necessary concerning these people. But to try to corrode this institution, or try to lower this institutions before its nation's eyes is one of the most treacherous things could be done in this country. We cannot stand by it. This army is ours and we cannot defend this country with any other army. We support our army. Our Commander is trying to do his best with grand devotion. And I know that he is as sad as we are because of the latest incident. I know that he has initiated necessary investigations concerning this issue. Today, trying to lower the Republic of Turkey's army, General Staff and Ministry of National Defence is something that can only be done by Turkey's enemies. Therefore, everyone must pull themselves together."