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TURKEY THREATENS FRANCE WITH SANCTIONS OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
By Philippe Rater
National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/20/turkey-threatens-france-with-sanctions-over-armenian-genocide-bill/
Dec 20 2011
Canada
PARIS - Turkey piled pressure on France Tuesday to drop a proposed
law making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide, warning its
adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and have economic consequences.
The French parliament is to debate the bill, which would see anyone
in France who publicly denies the genocide facing a year in jail and
a fine of US$58,000 (45,000 euros), on Thursday and is expected to
approve it.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during
World War I by the forces of Turkey's former Ottoman Empire, a figure
Ankara disputes.
As a delegation of Turkish lawmakers and businessmen met with officials
in Paris, Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged France to drop the bill.
"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 from Ankara.
"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, alluding to next year's
elections in France.
The Turkish delegation met with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and
President Nicolas Sarkozy's foreign policy advisor Jean-David Levitte,
arguing the law was an attempt to win support among voters of Armenian
origin ahead.
"Mr. Alain Juppe reminded his guests that Turkey is for France a
friend and ally, with which it has always sought dialogue," the
foreign ministry said.
Juppe told the Turks that Paris and Ankara have many vital common
interests and argued these were "sufficiently strong to overcome the
challenges that might confront or relationship."
France has a large population of Armenian descent seen as an
important element of Sarkozy's support base as he prepares for a
tough re-election battle in April next year.
"Every five years this question comes up ahead of the elections,"
said delegation member Umit Boyner, chairwoman of the Turkish Industry
and Business Association.
"If this law is adopted, there will be a lot of damage and consequences
for the two countries," warned Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the head of the
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges, who was leading
the delegation of Turkish businessmen.
Turkey has urged France to block the bill, or face "serious and
irreparable" consequences for Franco-Turkish relations.
Turkey is an important economic partner for France with about 12
billion euros in trade between the two countries in 2010.
A Turkish government source told AFP on Tuesday that it would 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."
Among the sanctions, Turkey will recall its ambassador to Paris
for consultations and ask the French ambassador in Ankara to leave,
the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ankara is also planning trade sanctions targeting French interests
in the country, though the government has so far avoided openly using
the term of "boycott" against French products.
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, according to the
source.
The French foreign ministry spokesman, Bernard Valero, however said
Turkey was bound by international agreements to not discriminate
against French companies.
Turkey "is a member of the World Trade Organization and is linked
to the European Union by a customs union agreement. These two legal
commitments require non-discrimination in regards to EU companies,"
the source said.
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.
Most historians agree that between 500,000 and 1.5 million Armenians
died in a series of massacres and deportations from Asia Minor in
the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and 1916.
France recognized the killings as genocide in 2001.
By Philippe Rater
National Post
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/12/20/turkey-threatens-france-with-sanctions-over-armenian-genocide-bill/
Dec 20 2011
Canada
PARIS - Turkey piled pressure on France Tuesday to drop a proposed
law making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide, warning its
adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and have economic consequences.
The French parliament is to debate the bill, which would see anyone
in France who publicly denies the genocide facing a year in jail and
a fine of US$58,000 (45,000 euros), on Thursday and is expected to
approve it.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during
World War I by the forces of Turkey's former Ottoman Empire, a figure
Ankara disputes.
As a delegation of Turkish lawmakers and businessmen met with officials
in Paris, Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged France to drop the bill.
"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 from Ankara.
"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, alluding to next year's
elections in France.
The Turkish delegation met with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and
President Nicolas Sarkozy's foreign policy advisor Jean-David Levitte,
arguing the law was an attempt to win support among voters of Armenian
origin ahead.
"Mr. Alain Juppe reminded his guests that Turkey is for France a
friend and ally, with which it has always sought dialogue," the
foreign ministry said.
Juppe told the Turks that Paris and Ankara have many vital common
interests and argued these were "sufficiently strong to overcome the
challenges that might confront or relationship."
France has a large population of Armenian descent seen as an
important element of Sarkozy's support base as he prepares for a
tough re-election battle in April next year.
"Every five years this question comes up ahead of the elections,"
said delegation member Umit Boyner, chairwoman of the Turkish Industry
and Business Association.
"If this law is adopted, there will be a lot of damage and consequences
for the two countries," warned Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the head of the
Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges, who was leading
the delegation of Turkish businessmen.
Turkey has urged France to block the bill, or face "serious and
irreparable" consequences for Franco-Turkish relations.
Turkey is an important economic partner for France with about 12
billion euros in trade between the two countries in 2010.
A Turkish government source told AFP on Tuesday that it would 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."
Among the sanctions, Turkey will recall its ambassador to Paris
for consultations and ask the French ambassador in Ankara to leave,
the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ankara is also planning trade sanctions targeting French interests
in the country, though the government has so far avoided openly using
the term of "boycott" against French products.
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, according to the
source.
The French foreign ministry spokesman, Bernard Valero, however said
Turkey was bound by international agreements to not discriminate
against French companies.
Turkey "is a member of the World Trade Organization and is linked
to the European Union by a customs union agreement. These two legal
commitments require non-discrimination in regards to EU companies,"
the source said.
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.
Most historians agree that between 500,000 and 1.5 million Armenians
died in a series of massacres and deportations from Asia Minor in
the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and 1916.
France recognized the killings as genocide in 2001.