In early 2004 , Guttenberg introduced the concept of a Privileged Partnership between Turkey and the European Union as a viable alternative to accession of Turkey to the European Union into the German political discourse . Guttenberg based his opposition to full Turkish membership in the EU on the country 's insufficient fulfillment of relevant accession criteria , for example with regard to the Cyprus dispute . At the same time , he stressed the necessity of maintaining good relations with Turkey and was therefore critical of a French initiative to criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg