Turkey will reject EU report saying 'genocide'

VIENNA

Turkey will reject the European Parliament Progress Report on Turkey to be voted on Thursday if it includes any mention of an "Armenian genocide", Turkey’s European Union Minister Volkan Bozkir said on Thursday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency during his official visit to Austria's capital Vienna, Bozkir said the current draft of the Turkey-EU 2015 Progress Report contains a description of the 1915 events as "genocide".

"However," added Bozkir, "we hope that the sensible MEPs who value Turkey's friendship will reject the report".

Commenting on the report by EP Turkey Rapporteur Kati Piri, Bozkir said: "The EP report is issued every year. In fact, it reflects the EP's views regarding EU Commission progress reports about EU member countries and Turkey. Last year, we said we would reject the report if it included some elements which are not acceptable for us".

Last year's report included a mention of "genocide", and in response Turkey declared the report null and void, recalled Bozkir.

Listing Turkey’s sensitivities on certain issues, Bozkir said: "The first is the inclusion of any expression on the so-called Armenian genocide. The second is any request that the PKK terrorist organization be removed from the EU’s list of terrorist organizations. The last is slowing down or suspending Turkey's EU accession process or cutting off the funds provided for Turkey's EU accession process."

Migrant crisis

Bozkir also commented on the EU's promised €3 billion ($3.38 billion) in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

"The aid will not be provided for Turkey. The EU is trying to soothe its conscience on the refugee crisis it has been closing its eyes to for years, as it has never thought it would affect the European Union. The EU wants to ease the lives of the refugees in Turkey [by providing the aid]," he explained.