Olli Rehn: Recognition of Genocide Not Precondition for Turkey EU Accession

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn stated that recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not a precondition for Turkey’s EU accession. He expressed an opinion that EU-Turkey talks should not “hang in the air,” if Turkey “does what it should”. He urged the EU to have a “fair” stance on Turkey. “We should keep our promises to Turkey, if we want it to respect European standards of basic liberties, freedom of expression and belief. We undervalue the importance of Turkey,” stated the EU Enlargement Commissioner. Olli Rehn underscored that there is “a vicious circle,” based on the one hand on widely spread opinion among Turks that the EU does not want to see Turkey among its members, on the other hand – EU disappointment in democratic reforms in Turkey. “We should tear down this vicious circle, otherwise we will not have any progress,” Olli Rehn said, reports RFE/RL.