Tweet
TURKEY WARNS FRANCE AGAINST 'GRAVE CONSEQUENCES' OF PASSING GENOCIDE BILL
Today's Zaman
Dec 16 2011
Turkey
Turkey has warned France against significant damage of political
and economic ties if French lawmakers pass a controversial measure
criminalizing the denial of Armenian claims that their ancestors were
subject to genocide in Anatolia during the World War I.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sent a letter to French
President Nicolas Sarkozy, warning him against the "grave consequences"
of the possible passage of the bill, while Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoğlu has told French businessmen who invest in Turkey that
such a move by French Parliament would also be detrimental to their
business interests.
The French parliament is set to vote next week on a piece of
legislation that could make denying the 1915 events that took place
in Turkey as genocide punishable by up to one year in prison and
a fine of 45,000 euros. The Turkish reaction escalated over the
week from mild suggestion to the French to reconsider the voting,
to outright warnings that France will be facing severe consequences,
including the withdrawal of the Turkish ambassador from Paris, as
the day of the voting, Monday the Dec. 19, approached.
Prevent the passage of the bill in question, was Erdoğan's message
to the French president in the letter. He said the approval of the
bill in the French parliament would result in grave consequences
with regards to Turkey's multifaceted relations with France in the
fields of politics, economy and culture, adding that France would be
responsible for these consequences if the bill is approved.
Erdoğan recalled that the French National Assembly adopted a bill in
2006, proposing that anyone who denied the "Armenian genocide" would be
punished, but the bill was dropped the same year before coming to the
senate. Stating that France's new move had surprised Turkey, Erdoğan
said Turkey is closely following these the recent efforts to pass the
bill. "This bill directly targets the state of the Turkish Republic,
the Turkish nation and the Turkish community in France and is seen
as hostile. ... Bills on [genocide] denial that are periodically put
in front of us and hurt our bilateral relations each time, not only
violate freedom of expression but also contradict principles France
defends," he said.
Noting that the approval of the bill would seriously restrict the
freedom of expression of those who approach the Armenian issue from a
different perspective, Erdoğan said such moves would not contribute
to efforts to settle the conflict between Turkey and Armenia on the
issue through dialogue. "On the contrary, they [such moves] pose as
an obstacle before the emergence of the truth," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan's letter follows remarks by a Turkish diplomat who said on
Thursday that Turkey would withdraw its ambassador in Paris if the
French parliament passes the bill.
Turkish Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoğlu will be recalled to Ankara for
consultations for an indefinite period of time, Engin Solakoğlu,
undersecretary of the Turkish Embassy in Paris, told the Anatolia
news agency. "Passing the measure will lead to irreparable damage of
Turkish-French ties," Solakoğlu also said.
Warning to French CEOs In addition to diplomatic relations, France's
business ties with Turkey are also at stake. At a meeting with CEOs
of French companies that have investments in Turkey, Foreign Minister
Davutoğlu made it clear that economic ties will be harmed as much as
the political relations.
Davutoğlu invited the CEOs to the meeting, which took place on Thursday
at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, telling them ramifications of the
passage of the measure will not be confined to political ties.
"Should the bill pass, it will not be only our political ties,
but also economic relation to suffer from it," Davutoğlu warned the
company executives. Paralleling the damage in Turkish-French relations,
French investors will also be adversely affected, he said.
Whether company executives would act on the warning they received from
him and take initiatives to influence their government is up to them,
Davutoğlu added.
One of Turkey's influential business clubs, the Turkish Industrialists
and Businessmen's Association (TUSİAD), has also criticized the French
move to penalize deniers of the alleged genocide, saying the bill
limits freedom of thought and research. "TUSİAD believes parliament
cannot assume the power of the judiciary, that it cannot write history
and that politicians cannot act as judges," TUSİAD Chairwoman Umit
Boyner told Anatolia.
"We would like to convey our concerns regarding this bill, which
we believe runs counter to European values, to French politicians
through French business groups," she added.
Turkish officials and business people also express worry over the
possibility of being arrested during their visits to France in case
they express their belief that the Armenian deaths did not result
from genocide. At an EU meeting at the Polish Embassy in Ankara,
Davutoğlu voiced these concerns, asking if France would arrest him
if he claimed that genocide did not happen. "It is a mentality from a
very dark age," Davutoğlu said in Parliament on Wednesday to highlight
that the bill was in contradiction with modern European values.
Armenian groups say up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed during
World War I in a systematic genocide campaign perpetrated by the
Ottoman Empire. Turkey categorically rejects the charges, saying the
death toll is inflated and that Turks were also killed as Armenians
revolted against the Ottoman Empire in collaboration with Russian
forces for an independent state in eastern Anatolia.
Ankara believes the new French drive to placate the Armenian lobby
in France by passing the controversial bill is closely linked with
the upcoming presidential elections.
During his meeting with French CEOs, Davutoğlu stressed that the voting
was designed with concerns regarding domestic politics, referring
to the upcoming elections in France, as he expressed belief that
Sarkozy was behind the revival of the bill, which was dropped once
before when it came to the French Senate.
The French president was a known opponent of the genocide denial bill
but Ankara believes the elections drastically changed his attitude to
gain favor with the strong Armenian vote in his country. His Socialist
Part rival Francois Hollande is also in favor of passing the bill.
Today's Zaman
Dec 16 2011
Turkey
Turkey has warned France against significant damage of political
and economic ties if French lawmakers pass a controversial measure
criminalizing the denial of Armenian claims that their ancestors were
subject to genocide in Anatolia during the World War I.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has sent a letter to French
President Nicolas Sarkozy, warning him against the "grave consequences"
of the possible passage of the bill, while Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoğlu has told French businessmen who invest in Turkey that
such a move by French Parliament would also be detrimental to their
business interests.
The French parliament is set to vote next week on a piece of
legislation that could make denying the 1915 events that took place
in Turkey as genocide punishable by up to one year in prison and
a fine of 45,000 euros. The Turkish reaction escalated over the
week from mild suggestion to the French to reconsider the voting,
to outright warnings that France will be facing severe consequences,
including the withdrawal of the Turkish ambassador from Paris, as
the day of the voting, Monday the Dec. 19, approached.
Prevent the passage of the bill in question, was Erdoğan's message
to the French president in the letter. He said the approval of the
bill in the French parliament would result in grave consequences
with regards to Turkey's multifaceted relations with France in the
fields of politics, economy and culture, adding that France would be
responsible for these consequences if the bill is approved.
Erdoğan recalled that the French National Assembly adopted a bill in
2006, proposing that anyone who denied the "Armenian genocide" would be
punished, but the bill was dropped the same year before coming to the
senate. Stating that France's new move had surprised Turkey, Erdoğan
said Turkey is closely following these the recent efforts to pass the
bill. "This bill directly targets the state of the Turkish Republic,
the Turkish nation and the Turkish community in France and is seen
as hostile. ... Bills on [genocide] denial that are periodically put
in front of us and hurt our bilateral relations each time, not only
violate freedom of expression but also contradict principles France
defends," he said.
Noting that the approval of the bill would seriously restrict the
freedom of expression of those who approach the Armenian issue from a
different perspective, Erdoğan said such moves would not contribute
to efforts to settle the conflict between Turkey and Armenia on the
issue through dialogue. "On the contrary, they [such moves] pose as
an obstacle before the emergence of the truth," Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan's letter follows remarks by a Turkish diplomat who said on
Thursday that Turkey would withdraw its ambassador in Paris if the
French parliament passes the bill.
Turkish Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoğlu will be recalled to Ankara for
consultations for an indefinite period of time, Engin Solakoğlu,
undersecretary of the Turkish Embassy in Paris, told the Anatolia
news agency. "Passing the measure will lead to irreparable damage of
Turkish-French ties," Solakoğlu also said.
Warning to French CEOs In addition to diplomatic relations, France's
business ties with Turkey are also at stake. At a meeting with CEOs
of French companies that have investments in Turkey, Foreign Minister
Davutoğlu made it clear that economic ties will be harmed as much as
the political relations.
Davutoğlu invited the CEOs to the meeting, which took place on Thursday
at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, telling them ramifications of the
passage of the measure will not be confined to political ties.
"Should the bill pass, it will not be only our political ties,
but also economic relation to suffer from it," Davutoğlu warned the
company executives. Paralleling the damage in Turkish-French relations,
French investors will also be adversely affected, he said.
Whether company executives would act on the warning they received from
him and take initiatives to influence their government is up to them,
Davutoğlu added.
One of Turkey's influential business clubs, the Turkish Industrialists
and Businessmen's Association (TUSİAD), has also criticized the French
move to penalize deniers of the alleged genocide, saying the bill
limits freedom of thought and research. "TUSİAD believes parliament
cannot assume the power of the judiciary, that it cannot write history
and that politicians cannot act as judges," TUSİAD Chairwoman Umit
Boyner told Anatolia.
"We would like to convey our concerns regarding this bill, which
we believe runs counter to European values, to French politicians
through French business groups," she added.
Turkish officials and business people also express worry over the
possibility of being arrested during their visits to France in case
they express their belief that the Armenian deaths did not result
from genocide. At an EU meeting at the Polish Embassy in Ankara,
Davutoğlu voiced these concerns, asking if France would arrest him
if he claimed that genocide did not happen. "It is a mentality from a
very dark age," Davutoğlu said in Parliament on Wednesday to highlight
that the bill was in contradiction with modern European values.
Armenian groups say up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed during
World War I in a systematic genocide campaign perpetrated by the
Ottoman Empire. Turkey categorically rejects the charges, saying the
death toll is inflated and that Turks were also killed as Armenians
revolted against the Ottoman Empire in collaboration with Russian
forces for an independent state in eastern Anatolia.
Ankara believes the new French drive to placate the Armenian lobby
in France by passing the controversial bill is closely linked with
the upcoming presidential elections.
During his meeting with French CEOs, Davutoğlu stressed that the voting
was designed with concerns regarding domestic politics, referring
to the upcoming elections in France, as he expressed belief that
Sarkozy was behind the revival of the bill, which was dropped once
before when it came to the French Senate.
The French president was a known opponent of the genocide denial bill
but Ankara believes the elections drastically changed his attitude to
gain favor with the strong Armenian vote in his country. His Socialist
Part rival Francois Hollande is also in favor of passing the bill.