Brussels, 23/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - Hilda Tchobian, President of the Euro-Armenian Federation EAFJD, which organised a conference on turkey and Armenia at the European Parliament on Friday along with the European Parliament's EPP-ED group, highlighted the gap between the well-meaning statements by the Turkish authorities on the Armenian issue and the actual reality. On the European Parliament's recognition of the Armenian genocide, Hilda Tchobian wondered how seriously the European executive applied the European Parliament's decisions. Ioannis Kasoulides, Cypriot EPP-ED MEP, highlighted the need for Turkey to recognise Cyprus, adding that he did not urge the EU to treat Turkey more severely than the ten new Member States but neither should it treat it less severely. CDU MEP Renate Sommers recalled the option recommended by her party of a Privileged Partnership with Turkey, arguing that Turkey is too big, too different and its borders are too dangerous for it to join the EU. She said it would take decades to change mentalities, not simply ten or fifteen years. Philippe Kulfayan from the International Federation of Human Rights, said that Turkey has not changed. He slammed the European Commission for 'lying' when it claimed its accession criteria had been met. He said that EU had to admit that Turkey was taking the risk and the challenge of open negotiations despite everything.