TODAY.AZ / Politics

Turkish MP of Belgium parliament Fatma Pahlavan: "Belgian Parliament doesn't have enough information about Karabakh problem"

01 February 2006 [01:37] - TODAY.AZ
"Belgian Parliament is aware of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. But MPs do not have enough information about this conflict".

As APA reports, the member of the Belgian parliament, member of Belgium-Azerbaijan parliament friendship group, member of Belgian parliament to Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe Fatma Pehlevan told that Armenians achieve to get the community to believe them: "I don't have enough information about this issue, I plan to visit Baku, and then I will try to get all-round information".

Fatma Pahlavan says there are senators of Arabic, Persian origins in Belgian senate, but she is the only Turkish senator in the parliament: "A Turk woman was elected in previous election from Greens Party, in this election they failed. Besides, there are parliamentarians of Jewish, Algerian, Iranian and Tunis origin in the senate".

Saying her parents migrated to Belgium in 1960s as workforce, F.Pahlavan says approximately 150,000 citizens of Turkish origin live in Belgium: "I cannot cite a concrete figure, because receiving Belgian citizenship has been simplified. After Turks have dual citizenship, it is hard to know their exact number. After having acquired citizenship, their names are struck off the lists of foreigners".

Speaking of national minority in Belgium, F.Pahlavan said that people migrated to Belgium from 150 countries over the world. The national minorities face a number of problems: "Unemployment, discrimination, education, accommodation and other problems. E.g. all of foreigners have settled in suburban quarters. These quarters have a lot of social problems. Only 2% Turks study at universities. Naturally, when one goes to another country he has to study its language, abide by its laws, and carry out citizenship duty. But it does not mean that he or she has to lose their own language, tradition. The main point is to get adapted to together living. I read in the press that a Dutch minister said it will be obligatory to speak the Dutch language even in the streets. His words mean removal of immigrants from the country. It means an opportunity for right-wing and racist people".

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/22732.html

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