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 The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz met with Turkey's chief EU envoy Egemen Bagis. The highlights of the meeting were the role of Turkey in Syria, the visa regime and the perspectives for Turkish membership in EU. In a news conference having followed the meeting, the officials have remarked on Armenian Genocide issue.

Egemen Bagis refused to comment on his remarks made in Switzerland denying the Armenian Genocide. Last month Bagis said in Zurich that there was no Armenian Genocide and if Swiss authorities wanted they could arrest him. During the press conference in the European Parliament Bagis said: “Switzerland is not an EU member and I will not waste a second to talk about an issue not related to the EU”.

Martin Schulz has however underlined clear disposition of the European Parliament in this respect that calls on “Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide which is a prerequisite for accession to the European Union”

Introducing his personal point of view Schulz said: “As a German I am well aware of my country’s history and the German army. Nevertheless, my recommendation to the Turkish authorities remains unchanged - you should face your own history. If the independent investigation says genocide did happen, you should recognize it, though this is Turkey’s business. I respect the parliamentarian autonomy, as well as the decision adopted by the French Parliament. I know that there are a lot of people in the European Union sharing the views of the French Members of the Parliament”.

For his part, E. Bagis said: “This is an issue to be addressed to science. We are politicians; we have responsibilities in shaping the future, not the past.”

“I am confronted with the past of my country every day and it’s really hard. But we are proud of managing confrontation with our history for almost sixty years. It doesn’t mean we are guilty for the crimes done by our descendents. To be as open as possible to the past is the best way to the future,” Martin Schulz said in response to Bagis.