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BE MAN OF YOUR WORD, ERDOGAN TELLS SARKOZY
Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/be-man-of-your-word-erdogan-tells-sarkozy.aspx?pageID=238&nID=9406&NewsCatID=338
Dec 17 2011
Turkey
Prime Minister Erdogan has reminded France's President of his earlier
vows not to pass a bill punishing Armenian 'genocide' denials in a
strongly worded missive
This file photo shows Turkish PM Erdogan (L) welcoming French leader
Sarkozy, who faces a dire warning on the 'genocide' bill. DAILY NEWS
photo, Selahattin SONMEZ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the
French President Nicolas Sarkozy to keep earlier promises to forestall
legislation that would criminalize the denial of Armenian "genocide"
as Ankara turned up pressure on Paris, warning French businesses of
serious consequences to trade links.
The bill, to be voted on Dec. 22, is threatening a fresh crisis
in Turkish-French ties, long poisoned by strong French opposition
to Turkey's EU accession, just when signs have emerged of a rare
rapprochement between the two countries as part of international
efforts to end the turmoil in Syria.
In a letter to the French president, Erdogan urged Sarkozy "to keep
his promise that such legislative attempts would not be finalized and
block irreparable developments" in bilateral relations. Prime Ministry
sources said the remark was a reference to statements Sarkozy made
after a similar bill was approved at the French Parliament's lower
house in 2006, but could not make it to a vote in the Senate. The
French president said at the time that "he had no intention to take
the bill to the Senate and did not want things to get worse," the
letter said, adding that this position was also confirmed in talks
with special representatives of the two leaders.
"The advancement of such attempts will have grave consequences for
ties between Turkey and France in all fields - political, economic
and cultural," Erdogan said, dubbing the bill as a "hostile" move
targeting Turkey and the Turkish community in France.
Erdogan said that if approved, the bill would harm also efforts to
normalize Turkish-Armenian ties and deal a blow to free speech. Turkey
has already said it will recall its ambassador from Paris if the bill
is passed.
Economic ties at stake
In an effort to enlist support from the business world, Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu summoned representatives of French businesses
in Turkey and Turkish companies trading with France for a meeting on
Dec. 15.
The minister underlined the recent "positive momentum" in
Turkish-French relations and warned that the approval of the bill would
"inevitably" harm bilateral trade at a time when France is under the
threat of economic depression, diplomatic sources said.
Turkish business leaders also mobilized to help head off the bill,
under which anyone in France who publicly denies the genocide could
face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000).
The head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges
(TOBB), Rıfat Hisarcıklıoglu, visited French Ambassador Laurent
Bili to convey his concerns over the economic repercussions of "this
very serious problem that could profoundly shake relations," a TOBB
statement said.
"It's so bad that our long-term relationship is being jeopardized
in the name of short-term expectations," Hisarcıklıoglu said,
referring to France's presidential elections next year.
The chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's
Association (TUSİAD), Umit Boyner, said she was already in contact
with French counterparts ahead of a visit to Paris next week. A joint
TOBB-TUSİAD delegation will hold a series of meetings with French
business groups and urge them to use their influence over French
politicians to stop the bill, she said.
French firms may also send letter to Sarkozy
Leading French firms in Turkey are preparing to sign a letter to be
sent to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, according to the chief of
one of the largest French firms operating in Turkey, the Hurriyet
Daily News has learned. The letter is expected to deliver a united
message against a draft bill at the French parliament that will
introduce punishment for the denial of the "Armenian genocide."
"We have accepted the invitation of TOBB, regarding a letter addressing
the French Presidency and showed our sensitivity in respect to
the matter," said Emre Uge, general manager of Sodexo Turkey, in a
written response to questions from the Daily News. "We are expecting
this draft, which is a clear barrier to freedom of expression, to
be rejected by the French parliament. I hope this initiative [at
parliament] will be limited to being one of the negative moves that
we have been seeing prior to almost every election in France."
"Currently there is a draft letter to be sent to French President
Nicholas Sarkozy," said a TOBB source, speaking on condition of
anonymity. The source said French firms operating in Turkey will
put their name and signature on the letter. On Dec. 16, company
representatives were discussing the content and the tone of the letter,
the source added.
"French firms are used to such crises - this is not the first time,"
Banu Antonetti, board member of the Turkish-France Business Council,
told the Daily News Dec. 16. "Political tensions would not bring a
huge change in bilateral trade and investment ties. However, companies
might face difficulties regarding big tenders in both countries."
Antonetti, also a prominent lawyer based in Istanbul, said French
companies in Turkey have not displayed any concern regarding their
business.
As the Daily News went to print on Dec. 16, BNP Paribas and Carrefour
had not yet replied to questions. Bayraktar Holding, the Turkish
distributor of Citroen, Schneider and Club Med declined to comment
on the issue.
Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/be-man-of-your-word-erdogan-tells-sarkozy.aspx?pageID=238&nID=9406&NewsCatID=338
Dec 17 2011
Turkey
Prime Minister Erdogan has reminded France's President of his earlier
vows not to pass a bill punishing Armenian 'genocide' denials in a
strongly worded missive
This file photo shows Turkish PM Erdogan (L) welcoming French leader
Sarkozy, who faces a dire warning on the 'genocide' bill. DAILY NEWS
photo, Selahattin SONMEZ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the
French President Nicolas Sarkozy to keep earlier promises to forestall
legislation that would criminalize the denial of Armenian "genocide"
as Ankara turned up pressure on Paris, warning French businesses of
serious consequences to trade links.
The bill, to be voted on Dec. 22, is threatening a fresh crisis
in Turkish-French ties, long poisoned by strong French opposition
to Turkey's EU accession, just when signs have emerged of a rare
rapprochement between the two countries as part of international
efforts to end the turmoil in Syria.
In a letter to the French president, Erdogan urged Sarkozy "to keep
his promise that such legislative attempts would not be finalized and
block irreparable developments" in bilateral relations. Prime Ministry
sources said the remark was a reference to statements Sarkozy made
after a similar bill was approved at the French Parliament's lower
house in 2006, but could not make it to a vote in the Senate. The
French president said at the time that "he had no intention to take
the bill to the Senate and did not want things to get worse," the
letter said, adding that this position was also confirmed in talks
with special representatives of the two leaders.
"The advancement of such attempts will have grave consequences for
ties between Turkey and France in all fields - political, economic
and cultural," Erdogan said, dubbing the bill as a "hostile" move
targeting Turkey and the Turkish community in France.
Erdogan said that if approved, the bill would harm also efforts to
normalize Turkish-Armenian ties and deal a blow to free speech. Turkey
has already said it will recall its ambassador from Paris if the bill
is passed.
Economic ties at stake
In an effort to enlist support from the business world, Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu summoned representatives of French businesses
in Turkey and Turkish companies trading with France for a meeting on
Dec. 15.
The minister underlined the recent "positive momentum" in
Turkish-French relations and warned that the approval of the bill would
"inevitably" harm bilateral trade at a time when France is under the
threat of economic depression, diplomatic sources said.
Turkish business leaders also mobilized to help head off the bill,
under which anyone in France who publicly denies the genocide could
face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000).
The head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges
(TOBB), Rıfat Hisarcıklıoglu, visited French Ambassador Laurent
Bili to convey his concerns over the economic repercussions of "this
very serious problem that could profoundly shake relations," a TOBB
statement said.
"It's so bad that our long-term relationship is being jeopardized
in the name of short-term expectations," Hisarcıklıoglu said,
referring to France's presidential elections next year.
The chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's
Association (TUSİAD), Umit Boyner, said she was already in contact
with French counterparts ahead of a visit to Paris next week. A joint
TOBB-TUSİAD delegation will hold a series of meetings with French
business groups and urge them to use their influence over French
politicians to stop the bill, she said.
French firms may also send letter to Sarkozy
Leading French firms in Turkey are preparing to sign a letter to be
sent to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, according to the chief of
one of the largest French firms operating in Turkey, the Hurriyet
Daily News has learned. The letter is expected to deliver a united
message against a draft bill at the French parliament that will
introduce punishment for the denial of the "Armenian genocide."
"We have accepted the invitation of TOBB, regarding a letter addressing
the French Presidency and showed our sensitivity in respect to
the matter," said Emre Uge, general manager of Sodexo Turkey, in a
written response to questions from the Daily News. "We are expecting
this draft, which is a clear barrier to freedom of expression, to
be rejected by the French parliament. I hope this initiative [at
parliament] will be limited to being one of the negative moves that
we have been seeing prior to almost every election in France."
"Currently there is a draft letter to be sent to French President
Nicholas Sarkozy," said a TOBB source, speaking on condition of
anonymity. The source said French firms operating in Turkey will
put their name and signature on the letter. On Dec. 16, company
representatives were discussing the content and the tone of the letter,
the source added.
"French firms are used to such crises - this is not the first time,"
Banu Antonetti, board member of the Turkish-France Business Council,
told the Daily News Dec. 16. "Political tensions would not bring a
huge change in bilateral trade and investment ties. However, companies
might face difficulties regarding big tenders in both countries."
Antonetti, also a prominent lawyer based in Istanbul, said French
companies in Turkey have not displayed any concern regarding their
business.
As the Daily News went to print on Dec. 16, BNP Paribas and Carrefour
had not yet replied to questions. Bayraktar Holding, the Turkish
distributor of Citroen, Schneider and Club Med declined to comment
on the issue.