Tweet
TURKEY HEIGHTENS PRESSURE ON FRANCE OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
Armenialiberty.org
Dec 20 2011
Turkey ratcheted up pressure on France on Tuesday in a last-ditch
attempt to scuttle the passage by the French parliament of a bill
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide.
"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," Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in a
statement cited by the AFP news agency.
"I want to hope that France will not sacrifice centuries-old
Turkish-French friendship, common interests and bonds of alliance for
small political calculations," Gul said in reference to next year's
presidential and parliamentary elections in France.
France has an estimated 500,000 citizens of Armenian descent.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan likewise warned late
last week of "grave consequences" for bilateral relations if the
bill is approved by the National Assembly, the lower house of the
French parliament.
Under the proposed legislation, which is due to be debated on Thursday,
anyone in France publicly denying that the 1915 mass killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire constituted genocide could face a
year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000). French President
Nicolas Sarkozy signaled support for its passage when he visited
Yerevan in October.
Gul issued the warning as a delegation of Turkish lawmakers and
businessmen met with officials in Paris and urged France to drop
the bill. "If this law is adopted, there will be a lot of damage
and consequences for the two countries," said Rifat Hisarciklioglu,
head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges.
A Turkish government source told AFP on Tuesday that Ankara will
impose diplomatic and trade sanctions on Paris if French lawmakers
adopt the law. "Turkey will not remain silent. That will obviously have
consequences," the source said. "We have already discussed our plans
if the bill is adopted at the French National Assembly on Thursday."
In particular, added the source, close to 1,000 French companies in
Turkey, as well as those in partnership with Turkish companies, will be
excluded from public contracts, especially in the field of transport.
The French Foreign Ministry warned the Turkish government against
resorting to economic reprisals. According to the DPA news agency,
ministry spokesman Bernard Valero reminded Ankara 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," Valero said.
Armenialiberty.org
Dec 20 2011
Turkey ratcheted up pressure on France on Tuesday in a last-ditch
attempt to scuttle the passage by the French parliament of a bill
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide.
"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," Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in a
statement cited by the AFP news agency.
"I want to hope that France will not sacrifice centuries-old
Turkish-French friendship, common interests and bonds of alliance for
small political calculations," Gul said in reference to next year's
presidential and parliamentary elections in France.
France has an estimated 500,000 citizens of Armenian descent.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan likewise warned late
last week of "grave consequences" for bilateral relations if the
bill is approved by the National Assembly, the lower house of the
French parliament.
Under the proposed legislation, which is due to be debated on Thursday,
anyone in France publicly denying that the 1915 mass killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire constituted genocide could face a
year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000). French President
Nicolas Sarkozy signaled support for its passage when he visited
Yerevan in October.
Gul issued the warning as a delegation of Turkish lawmakers and
businessmen met with officials in Paris and urged France to drop
the bill. "If this law is adopted, there will be a lot of damage
and consequences for the two countries," said Rifat Hisarciklioglu,
head of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges.
A Turkish government source told AFP on Tuesday that Ankara will
impose diplomatic and trade sanctions on Paris if French lawmakers
adopt the law. "Turkey will not remain silent. That will obviously have
consequences," the source said. "We have already discussed our plans
if the bill is adopted at the French National Assembly on Thursday."
In particular, added the source, close to 1,000 French companies in
Turkey, as well as those in partnership with Turkish companies, will be
excluded from public contracts, especially in the field of transport.
The French Foreign Ministry warned the Turkish government against
resorting to economic reprisals. According to the DPA news agency,
ministry spokesman Bernard Valero reminded Ankara 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," Valero said.