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TURKEY PLANS TO FREEZE PARIS TIES IF 'GENOCIDE' BILL PASSED
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 16 2011
Turkey will recall its ambassador and freeze ties with Paris if
French lawmakers approve a bill punishing the denial of the "Armenian
genocide" next week, the Turkish ambassador's spokesperson, Engin
Solakoglu, told the Hurriyet Daily News yesterday.
"There will be irreparable consequences in all bilateral relations,"
Solakoglu said, adding that the ambassador expected to be recalled
to Ankara for an indefinite period from Dec. 22 if the bill is passed.
France's National Assembly is discussing whether to pass a law banning
the denial of the 1915 incidents as genocide. "Turkey considers this a
hostile act by the French executive," Solakoglu said. "All cooperation
with the French government, all joint projects, will be frozen." He
said Ankara had already instructed the Turkish Embassy to France
to freeze relations and leave the country if the bill goes through,
adding that relations between the two states would be at their lowest
level if this occurred.
He said he did not expect the economic relations to freeze, however,
while France said yesterday that Turkey was an important ally
and partner for France. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard
Valero told reporters yesterday that France attached importance to
consultations with Ankara regarding regional and international matters,
Anatolia news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Valero did not comment on Turkey's statements that it
would recall the ambassador in Paris, Tahsin Burcuoglu, if the bill
was adopted by the French parliament. Solakoglu said Turkey knew
the French Foreign Ministry was against this bill and that it would
hurt relations, but added that the French president directed foreign
relations and headed the executive organ.
Speaking via Twitter, Deputy Turkish Prime Minister Omer Celik said,
"Instead of going for a wider vision, France is being pushed toward
rigid nationalism because of [French president Nicolas] Sarkozy's
line."
As Sarkozy falls behind in opinion polls, "he creates crises to
jeopardize the relationship between Turkey and France. The source of
inspiration for the future of the Arab Spring is undoubtedly Turkey,
not France," Celik said.
Leading Turkish business organizations have joined Parliament's
efforts to stop the passage of a French bill that would penalize
anyone who refuses to term the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians in
1915 as genocide.
The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and
the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSİAD)
will dispatch delegations to Paris on Dec. 19 as part of efforts to
stop the adoption of the bill. The private sector's delegation will
be in Paris on the same day with a parliamentary delegation that will
urge French lawmakers to vote against the bill on Dec. 22.
"We, as TOBB and TUSİAD, are warning French [politicians] at the
highest level through France's organizations in the business world,
with whom we have constructive relations," a joint statement said
yesterday.
TOBB and TUSİAD expressed concern that such an attitude could harm
the Turkish-French business environment and added that they were in
contact with French counterparts to follow the matter.
The French parliament recognized Armenian genocide claims in 2000,
but the legislature is now seeking to adopt a law banning any denial
of the claims. Deniers would be assessed a fine of 45,000 euros if
the law is adopted.
The bill also calls for a prison term for those who reject the
genocide claims.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned France that the bill
represented a "medieval mindset" banning alternative thought. "If this
bill is passed, France will lead the return of medieval mentality to
Europe," Davutoglu said Dec. 14 during a budget debate in Parliament.
Davutoglu said the bill targeted the clean history and record of Turks.
Turkey has told France that it will take retaliatory measures if the
law is adopted; withdrawing the Turkish ambassador based in Paris
for consultations and suspending political dialogue are among the
possible measures Ankara is considering taking, according to reports.
Turkey and France have been enjoying better dialogue in recent months,
especially on regional issues despite ongoing disagreements over
Turkey's accession to the European Union.
From: Baghdasarian
Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 16 2011
Turkey will recall its ambassador and freeze ties with Paris if
French lawmakers approve a bill punishing the denial of the "Armenian
genocide" next week, the Turkish ambassador's spokesperson, Engin
Solakoglu, told the Hurriyet Daily News yesterday.
"There will be irreparable consequences in all bilateral relations,"
Solakoglu said, adding that the ambassador expected to be recalled
to Ankara for an indefinite period from Dec. 22 if the bill is passed.
France's National Assembly is discussing whether to pass a law banning
the denial of the 1915 incidents as genocide. "Turkey considers this a
hostile act by the French executive," Solakoglu said. "All cooperation
with the French government, all joint projects, will be frozen." He
said Ankara had already instructed the Turkish Embassy to France
to freeze relations and leave the country if the bill goes through,
adding that relations between the two states would be at their lowest
level if this occurred.
He said he did not expect the economic relations to freeze, however,
while France said yesterday that Turkey was an important ally
and partner for France. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard
Valero told reporters yesterday that France attached importance to
consultations with Ankara regarding regional and international matters,
Anatolia news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Valero did not comment on Turkey's statements that it
would recall the ambassador in Paris, Tahsin Burcuoglu, if the bill
was adopted by the French parliament. Solakoglu said Turkey knew
the French Foreign Ministry was against this bill and that it would
hurt relations, but added that the French president directed foreign
relations and headed the executive organ.
Speaking via Twitter, Deputy Turkish Prime Minister Omer Celik said,
"Instead of going for a wider vision, France is being pushed toward
rigid nationalism because of [French president Nicolas] Sarkozy's
line."
As Sarkozy falls behind in opinion polls, "he creates crises to
jeopardize the relationship between Turkey and France. The source of
inspiration for the future of the Arab Spring is undoubtedly Turkey,
not France," Celik said.
Leading Turkish business organizations have joined Parliament's
efforts to stop the passage of a French bill that would penalize
anyone who refuses to term the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians in
1915 as genocide.
The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and
the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSİAD)
will dispatch delegations to Paris on Dec. 19 as part of efforts to
stop the adoption of the bill. The private sector's delegation will
be in Paris on the same day with a parliamentary delegation that will
urge French lawmakers to vote against the bill on Dec. 22.
"We, as TOBB and TUSİAD, are warning French [politicians] at the
highest level through France's organizations in the business world,
with whom we have constructive relations," a joint statement said
yesterday.
TOBB and TUSİAD expressed concern that such an attitude could harm
the Turkish-French business environment and added that they were in
contact with French counterparts to follow the matter.
The French parliament recognized Armenian genocide claims in 2000,
but the legislature is now seeking to adopt a law banning any denial
of the claims. Deniers would be assessed a fine of 45,000 euros if
the law is adopted.
The bill also calls for a prison term for those who reject the
genocide claims.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned France that the bill
represented a "medieval mindset" banning alternative thought. "If this
bill is passed, France will lead the return of medieval mentality to
Europe," Davutoglu said Dec. 14 during a budget debate in Parliament.
Davutoglu said the bill targeted the clean history and record of Turks.
Turkey has told France that it will take retaliatory measures if the
law is adopted; withdrawing the Turkish ambassador based in Paris
for consultations and suspending political dialogue are among the
possible measures Ankara is considering taking, according to reports.
Turkey and France have been enjoying better dialogue in recent months,
especially on regional issues despite ongoing disagreements over
Turkey's accession to the European Union.
From: Baghdasarian