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    International Herald Tribune, France
    Oct 19 2006

    Mind your own business, France
    Suat Kiniklioglu International Herald Tribune

    Published: October 19, 2006


    ANKARA Turkey is in an uproar. Turks are reacting bitterly to the
    tactlessness of the French National Assembly in passing a bill that
    would criminalize "denial" of the Armenian "genocide."

    Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy of France is right: The vote
    is seen as an unfriendly gesture by a vast majority of the Turkish
    people. We are dismayed by the ease with which French lawmakers seem
    willing to jeopardize relations between France and Turkey dating from
    the 16th century.

    What puzzles us even more is that of all countries, France - seen by
    us as the symbol of civil liberties and free speech - would become
    hostage to a small, if influential, lobby that exploits every electoral
    opportunity to advance its narrow agenda.

    Lawmakers are not historians and their attempt to establish facts about
    an extremely sensitive and complicated historic event is misguided
    at best. Further, the proposed bill represents a blow to freedom
    of expression at a time when European Union member states regularly
    lecture Ankara on legislation they view as curtailing free speech.

    Both on grounds of substance and process, the National Assembly's
    action is deeply offensive and counterproductive. That is why the EU
    enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn, and 16 prominent French historians
    opposed the bill.

    Many Turks interpret the National Assembly's action as not just an
    attempt to appease an active lobby, but also as a populist appeal to
    the majority of the French public opposed to Turkish membership in
    the European Union.

    In the run-up to what promises to be a very competitive presidential
    race next spring, both the French left and right seem ill disposed
    toward a predominantly Muslim country interested in EU membership.

    Bound legally by the EU Council's decision to start accession
    negotiations with Turkey, French lawmakers may hope to provoke an
    already unsettled Turkey to quit the negotiations by touching a
    sensitive nerve. Whether such irresponsible behavior hinders efforts
    to heal the wounds of World War I and the tragedy of Ottoman Armenians
    seems to be lost on them.

    Ironically, this ill-considered action comes at a time when Turkey's
    domestic debate on the Armenian issue is more open than at any time
    in the past. Turks on both sides of the issue are intensely discussing
    what happened in 1915-1916 and whether it can be defined as genocide.

    Last year, in an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan suggested that Turkey and Armenia set up a joint commission of
    historians to determine whether the events of 1915-1916 constituted
    genocide. The offer was rejected by Armenia. Turkey also organized
    its first international conference on the Armenian issue with Armenian
    historians last year. Furthermore, Turkey's determination to join the
    EU provides ongoing impetus for this healthy process of reconciliation
    to continue.

    Turkish-Armenian reconciliation cannot be facilitated by laws passed
    in foreign parliaments. Such moves only help those who thrive on the
    continuation of the impasse between Turks and Armenians.

    As tempting as gesture politics may be for French politicians, any
    genuine effort at reconciliation must be based on the recognition
    that both Armenians and Turks suffered immensely during the fateful
    years of World War I. To move forward, the focus must be broadened
    to include common losses and experiences during this period, rather
    than limited to the question of whether the events of 1915-1916 can
    be qualified as genocide. Context is critical.

    Having Turkey as a member in the EU is both in Europe's and Armenia's
    interest. Provoking Turkey on a sensitive issue only serves to further
    alienate a country whose destiny will have a major impact on the
    greater Europe of which Armenia is also part.

    As the British Armenian historian Ara Sarafian eloquently noted,
    the ultimate irony is that France, which has not faced up to its own
    genocidal past, dares to pass legislation on Turkey's past.

    Thankfully our lawmakers are unlikely to follow that path. After all,
    we want to remain true to the ideals of Rousseau, Voltaire and the
    French encyclopedists who inspired us and the European Enlightenment.

    Suat Kiniklioglu is director of the Ankara office of the German
    Marshall Fund of the United States.
    ANKARA Turkey is in an uproar. Turks are reacting bitterly to the
    tactlessness of the French National Assembly in passing a bill that
    would criminalize "denial" of the Armenian "genocide."

    Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy of France is right: The vote
    is seen as an unfriendly gesture by a vast majority of the Turkish
    people. We are dismayed by the ease with which French lawmakers seem
    willing to jeopardize relations between France and Turkey dating from
    the 16th century.

    What puzzles us even more is that of all countries, France - seen by
    us as the symbol of civil liberties and free speech - would become
    hostage to a small, if influential, lobby that exploits every electoral
    opportunity to advance its narrow agenda.

    Lawmakers are not historians and their attempt to establish facts about
    an extremely sensitive and complicated historic event is misguided
    at best. Further, the proposed bill represents a blow to freedom
    of expression at a time when European Union member states regularly
    lecture Ankara on legislation they view as curtailing free speech.

    Both on grounds of substance and process, the National Assembly's
    action is deeply offensive and counterproductive. That is why the EU
    enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn, and 16 prominent French historians
    opposed the bill.

    Many Turks interpret the National Assembly's action as not just an
    attempt to appease an active lobby, but also as a populist appeal to
    the majority of the French public opposed to Turkish membership in
    the European Union.

    In the run-up to what promises to be a very competitive presidential
    race next spring, both the French left and right seem ill disposed
    toward a predominantly Muslim country interested in EU membership.

    Bound legally by the EU Council's decision to start accession
    negotiations with Turkey, French lawmakers may hope to provoke an
    already unsettled Turkey to quit the negotiations by touching a
    sensitive nerve. Whether such irresponsible behavior hinders efforts
    to heal the wounds of World War I and the tragedy of Ottoman Armenians
    seems to be lost on them.

    Ironically, this ill-considered action comes at a time when Turkey's
    domestic debate on the Armenian issue is more open than at any time
    in the past. Turks on both sides of the issue are intensely discussing
    what happened in 1915-1916 and whether it can be defined as genocide.

    Last year, in an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan suggested that Turkey and Armenia set up a joint commission of
    historians to determine whether the events of 1915-1916 constituted
    genocide. The offer was rejected by Armenia. Turkey also organized
    its first international conference on the Armenian issue with Armenian
    historians last year. Furthermore, Turkey's determination to join the
    EU provides ongoing impetus for this healthy process of reconciliation
    to continue.

    Turkish-Armenian reconciliation cannot be facilitated by laws passed
    in foreign parliaments. Such moves only help those who thrive on the
    continuation of the impasse between Turks and Armenians.

    As tempting as gesture politics may be for French politicians, any
    genuine effort at reconciliation must be based on the recognition
    that both Armenians and Turks suffered immensely during the fateful
    years of World War I. To move forward, the focus must be broadened
    to include common losses and experiences during this period, rather
    than limited to the question of whether the events of 1915-1916 can
    be qualified as genocide. Context is critical.

    Having Turkey as a member in the EU is both in Europe's and Armenia's
    interest. Provoking Turkey on a sensitive issue only serves to further
    alienate a country whose destiny will have a major impact on the
    greater Europe of which Armenia is also part.

    As the British Armenian historian Ara Sarafian eloquently noted,
    the ultimate irony is that France, which has not faced up to its own
    genocidal past, dares to pass legislation on Turkey's past.

    Thankfully our lawmakers are unlikely to follow that path. After all,
    we want to remain true to the ideals of Rousseau, Voltaire and the
    French encyclopedists who inspired us and the European Enlightenment.

    Suat Kiniklioglu is director of the Ankara office of the German
    Marshall Fund of the United States.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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