EU officials agree 'genocide' recognition not required for Turkey's membership

Stressing that Turkey's recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide wasn't a precondition to its EU membership, Lagendijk said that the matter was still controversial and it was not yet clear whether or not there had been any 'genocide' of Armenians.

Furthermore, European Parliament Turkey Rapportor Camiel Eurlings stated that the so-called Armenian 'genocide' shouldn't be a precondition for Turkey's EU membership. He added that he would propose changes to the subject in the recent report on Turkey prepared by him.

The controversial report on Turkey prepared by Camiel Eurlings will be discussed and voted on in the European Parliament (EP) General Assembly next week.

The draft report on Turkey's progress towards accession to the EU and the reforms is to be discussed in the European parliament on Tuesday.

The report will be discussed on Tuesday afternoon and the European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn will attend the meeting. The voting of the report is to take place on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the EP Foreign Affairs Committee approved Camiel Eurlings' report on Turkey. The report called on Turkey to recognize the alleged killing of Armenians during WWI as genocide and to open its ports to Greek Cypriot traffic.

The Turkish foreign ministry rejected the report, saying that it lacked common sense and smacked of political bias.

The draft report insists that there are persistent shortcomings in areas such as freedom of expression, religious, minority and women's rights in Turkey, Cihan News Agency reports.

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