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FRANCE, TURKEY IN WAR OF WORDS OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
Monsters and Critics.com
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1681909.php/France-Turkey-in-war-of-words-over-Armenian-genocide-bill
Dec 20 2011
Paris - France's foreign ministry on Tuesday warned Turkey against
economic reprisals over draft French legislation that would make it
a crime to deny that Armenians had suffered a 'genocide' at the hands
of Ottoman Turks during World War I.
The National Assembly, which is the lower house of the French
parliament, is to debate the bill on Thursday, assembly president
Bernard Accoyer confirmed. The Assembly is widely expected to approve
the bill if put to a vote.
Armenians say that up to 1.5 million Armenian citizens of the Ottoman
Empire were either killed or died of neglect on deportation marches
to the Syrian desert in 1915-18. They say the killings constituted
genocide - a position France supports.
Turkey vehemently rejects the genocide label. While admitting that
some 300,000 Armenians died, Ankara says their deaths were caused by
unrest following Russia's invasion of eastern Turkey, where most of
the Armenians lived.
The bill before the Assembly Thursday would criminalize people who
deny genocides and punish them with up to a year's imprisonment and
a fine of 45,000 euros (58,535 dollars).
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week warned French
President Nicolas Sarkozy of 'grave consequences' for bilateral
relations if the bill, which has broad cross-party support, passed.
Turkey has said it will immediately recall its ambassador. Turkish
business leaders have also warned of consequences for French companies
doing business in Turkey.
Reacting to the threats foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero on
Tuesday reminded Turkey of its international commitments.
Turkey's membership of the World Trade Organization and customs union
with the European Union 'imply a non-discriminatory treatment with
regard to companies from the European Union,' he said.
The standoff is the latest to rock Franco-Turkish relations, which
have already soured over Sarkozy's vehement opposition to Turkey
joining the European Union.
As the clock ticked down on the Assembly debate, a delegation of
Turkish parliamentarians was meeting with French leaders to try avert
a showdown.
Led by Volkan Bozkir, president of the Turkish parliament's foreign
affairs commission, the delegation was scheduled to meet later on
Tuesday with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and with the Assembly
president, Accoyer.
Accoyer said that while he 'does not personally favour' laws that
frame freedom of expression, the bill was 'absolutely not centred on
the Armenian question.'
Government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse said Turkey remained 'a
privileged partner of France, an ally.'
Both in Turkey and in France, the timing of the bill has been linked
to a presidential election next year in France, which has a small
but powerful Armenian community.
The genocide bill is the second of its kind to come before the French
parliament since 2006. A first bill dealing exclusively with the
Armenian case was approved by the National Assembly in 2006 but was
rejected by the Senate in May this year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Monsters and Critics.com
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1681909.php/France-Turkey-in-war-of-words-over-Armenian-genocide-bill
Dec 20 2011
Paris - France's foreign ministry on Tuesday warned Turkey against
economic reprisals over draft French legislation that would make it
a crime to deny that Armenians had suffered a 'genocide' at the hands
of Ottoman Turks during World War I.
The National Assembly, which is the lower house of the French
parliament, is to debate the bill on Thursday, assembly president
Bernard Accoyer confirmed. The Assembly is widely expected to approve
the bill if put to a vote.
Armenians say that up to 1.5 million Armenian citizens of the Ottoman
Empire were either killed or died of neglect on deportation marches
to the Syrian desert in 1915-18. They say the killings constituted
genocide - a position France supports.
Turkey vehemently rejects the genocide label. While admitting that
some 300,000 Armenians died, Ankara says their deaths were caused by
unrest following Russia's invasion of eastern Turkey, where most of
the Armenians lived.
The bill before the Assembly Thursday would criminalize people who
deny genocides and punish them with up to a year's imprisonment and
a fine of 45,000 euros (58,535 dollars).
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week warned French
President Nicolas Sarkozy of 'grave consequences' for bilateral
relations if the bill, which has broad cross-party support, passed.
Turkey has said it will immediately recall its ambassador. Turkish
business leaders have also warned of consequences for French companies
doing business in Turkey.
Reacting to the threats foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero on
Tuesday reminded Turkey of its international commitments.
Turkey's membership of the World Trade Organization and customs union
with the European Union 'imply a non-discriminatory treatment with
regard to companies from the European Union,' he said.
The standoff is the latest to rock Franco-Turkish relations, which
have already soured over Sarkozy's vehement opposition to Turkey
joining the European Union.
As the clock ticked down on the Assembly debate, a delegation of
Turkish parliamentarians was meeting with French leaders to try avert
a showdown.
Led by Volkan Bozkir, president of the Turkish parliament's foreign
affairs commission, the delegation was scheduled to meet later on
Tuesday with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and with the Assembly
president, Accoyer.
Accoyer said that while he 'does not personally favour' laws that
frame freedom of expression, the bill was 'absolutely not centred on
the Armenian question.'
Government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse said Turkey remained 'a
privileged partner of France, an ally.'
Both in Turkey and in France, the timing of the bill has been linked
to a presidential election next year in France, which has a small
but powerful Armenian community.
The genocide bill is the second of its kind to come before the French
parliament since 2006. A first bill dealing exclusively with the
Armenian case was approved by the National Assembly in 2006 but was
rejected by the Senate in May this year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress