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TURKISH PRESIDENT URGES FRANCE TO DROP ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
Al-Arabiya
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/20/183650.html
Dec 20 2011
UAE
Turkish President Abdullah Gul made an appeal to France on Tuesday
to drop an Armenian genocide bill as soon as possible, saying that
the planned legislation was unacceptable.
"It is not possible for us to accept this bill which denies us the
freedom to reject unfair and groundless accusations targeting our
country and our nation," Gul said in a statement.
His remarks came as the French parliament prepares to vote Thursday
on a law making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide at the hands
of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Gul urged France to abort this initiative as soon as possible as it
will block any objective research of the 1915 events.
"I want to hope that France will not sacrifice centuries-old
Turkish-French friendship, common interests and bonds of alliance
for small political calculations," said Gul, drawing attention to
the timing of the bill ahead of next year's elections in France.
The Turkish leader called for common sense to reign in France, saying
that history should be written by historians.
If the law is passed as expected, anyone in France who publicly denies
the genocide could face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros
($58,000).
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the term genocide and says between 300,000 and
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died in combat or
from starvation when Armenians rose up and sided with invading
Russian forces.
France, which has a large population of Armenian descent, recognized
the killings as genocide in 2001.
From: Baghdasarian
Al-Arabiya
http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/12/20/183650.html
Dec 20 2011
UAE
Turkish President Abdullah Gul made an appeal to France on Tuesday
to drop an Armenian genocide bill as soon as possible, saying that
the planned legislation was unacceptable.
"It is not possible for us to accept this bill which denies us the
freedom to reject unfair and groundless accusations targeting our
country and our nation," Gul said in a statement.
His remarks came as the French parliament prepares to vote Thursday
on a law making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide at the hands
of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Gul urged France to abort this initiative as soon as possible as it
will block any objective research of the 1915 events.
"I want to hope that France will not sacrifice centuries-old
Turkish-French friendship, common interests and bonds of alliance
for small political calculations," said Gul, drawing attention to
the timing of the bill ahead of next year's elections in France.
The Turkish leader called for common sense to reign in France, saying
that history should be written by historians.
If the law is passed as expected, anyone in France who publicly denies
the genocide could face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros
($58,000).
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the term genocide and says between 300,000 and
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died in combat or
from starvation when Armenians rose up and sided with invading
Russian forces.
France, which has a large population of Armenian descent, recognized
the killings as genocide in 2001.
From: Baghdasarian