ANKARA -- Turkey yesterday dismissed a European Parliament report urging Ankara to recognize an alleged genocide of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire to advance its bid to join the European Union, saying that it lacked "common sense and smacked of political bias."

The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee approved a report late on Monday that slammed Turkey for not living up to the commitments the country gave when it received the green light last October to start talks on joining the bloc.

To Ankara's displeasure, the report says Turkey should recognize alleged genocide of Armenians as a precondition for full membership. Bowing to pressure from Greek parliamentarians, the document also cited alleged genocides of other communities, namely the Assyrians in southeastern Turkey and Pontus Greeks in the Black Sea region, the first time a European Parliament document refers to such allegations.

"We think that some elements in the report are written with political motives and without realism and are not in accordance with the European Parliament's credibility and seriousness," Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said in a statement.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that such European Parliament reports were not binding and insisted there would be no change on Turkey's position with regard to the alleged genocide.

Talat-Musharraf meeting:

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf hosted Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat at his presidential palace in Islamabad late on Monday.

Musharraf extended support to policies pursued by the Turkish Cypriots, saying that his country would always stand by the Turkish Cypriots under all circumstances.

Turkish Daily News