Brussels, 14/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 13 April, the European Union called for the normalisation of relations between Turkey and Armenia. Pope Francis recently described the massacre of Armenians by the Turkish Ottomans 100 years ago as “the first genocide of the 20th century”, which has angered Ankara.
“We encourage the parties to plan significant further measures towards full reconciliation”, said Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. Stating that reconciliation was at the centre of the foundation of the European project and its values, Kocijancic said that “in this context, it is particularly important that the relations” between Turkey, an EU candidate country, and Armenia, a member of the Eastern Partnership, “be normalised as quickly as possible”. She also stated that as part of the reconciliation, the issue of the past should be discussed in an “open” debate.
In addition, Kocijancic said that the agreement signed between Ankara and Erevan in 2009 to open the borders and establish diplomatic relations should be implemented because the “implementation of the protocol is important for the normalisation of relations”.
Elsewhere, the European Parliament will mark the centenary of the massacre at the Parliament's plenary session with a debate on “the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide” and a resolution will be put to the vote. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)