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IT IS NOT LIKE 2001 THIS TIME
Yeni Safak , Istanbul,
Oct 8 2006
Turkish foreign minister warns France not to pass Armenian genocide
bill
Foreign Minister Gul has spoken to Yeni Safak. His reaction to France's
[proposed] law punishing anyone who denies the "Armenian genocide"
is tough: France acknowledged the genocide in 2001. This time is not
the same as it was five years ago. This time you will lose Turkey!
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has spoken out strongly against the
bill proposed for passage by the French parliament to make denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime and make anybody who denies liable to
face up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. Gul said:
"France acknowledged the genocide in 2001 but the reactions back then
fizzled out quickly. We are not making threats but the attitude today
is different from what it was in 2001. The French will lose Turkey."
Gul spoke on the telephone to France's Minister of Foreign Affairs
Phillipe Douste-Blazy yesterday morning ahead of 12 October, when the
bill is expected to be put to the vote. Gul asked his counterpart to
try harder to prevent the bill from being passed.
Speaking to Yeni Safak, Gul said: "What we want is for these kinds
of problems never to occur between two countries or between Turkey
and Europe. However, if things continue to unfold as they are doing,
it is inevitable that both the government and society in general will
react to this." Explaining that he had told Minister Blazy: "There
are political and commercial relations between the two countries,
including the military sphere. If the bill is passed, there is no way
these relations will not suffer." Gul added, "I told him this two weeks
ago and I also asked him to convey our representations to Chirac."
Recounting the conversation he had with his counterpart, Gul said:
"Of course we are not making threats but it is going to be hard this
time to keep the public's outcry against France in check. This time
the reaction will not be like the reaction to the laws passed in
2001." The minister also warned, "Naturally it will no longer be
possible to work with France in the area of nuclear energy."
Saying, "France will lose Turkey if it accepts this bill," Gul added,
"It shows once again the folly of letting political decisions interpret
historical events."
Yeni Safak , Istanbul,
Oct 8 2006
Turkish foreign minister warns France not to pass Armenian genocide
bill
Foreign Minister Gul has spoken to Yeni Safak. His reaction to France's
[proposed] law punishing anyone who denies the "Armenian genocide"
is tough: France acknowledged the genocide in 2001. This time is not
the same as it was five years ago. This time you will lose Turkey!
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has spoken out strongly against the
bill proposed for passage by the French parliament to make denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime and make anybody who denies liable to
face up to five years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. Gul said:
"France acknowledged the genocide in 2001 but the reactions back then
fizzled out quickly. We are not making threats but the attitude today
is different from what it was in 2001. The French will lose Turkey."
Gul spoke on the telephone to France's Minister of Foreign Affairs
Phillipe Douste-Blazy yesterday morning ahead of 12 October, when the
bill is expected to be put to the vote. Gul asked his counterpart to
try harder to prevent the bill from being passed.
Speaking to Yeni Safak, Gul said: "What we want is for these kinds
of problems never to occur between two countries or between Turkey
and Europe. However, if things continue to unfold as they are doing,
it is inevitable that both the government and society in general will
react to this." Explaining that he had told Minister Blazy: "There
are political and commercial relations between the two countries,
including the military sphere. If the bill is passed, there is no way
these relations will not suffer." Gul added, "I told him this two weeks
ago and I also asked him to convey our representations to Chirac."
Recounting the conversation he had with his counterpart, Gul said:
"Of course we are not making threats but it is going to be hard this
time to keep the public's outcry against France in check. This time
the reaction will not be like the reaction to the laws passed in
2001." The minister also warned, "Naturally it will no longer be
possible to work with France in the area of nuclear energy."
Saying, "France will lose Turkey if it accepts this bill," Gul added,
"It shows once again the folly of letting political decisions interpret
historical events."