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TURKEY RECALLS FRENCH AMBASSADOR OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL LAW
Russia Today
http://rt.com/news/france-turkey-genocide-armenia-433/
Dec 22 2011
Turkey is recalling its ambassador from France, according to the
Turkish state broadcaster TRT. Ankara is making the move in protest
after the French parliament passed a law making the denial of the
Armenian holocaust a crime.
The French lawmakers put the 1915 atrocity on a par with Holocaust
denial by simple raising their hands on Thursday. The majority in
favor was so clear that no count was needed. The measure now goes to
the Senate, which killed an earlier attempt at passing the criminal
law earlier this year.
In 2001 France, which is home to the largest ethnic Armenian community
in Europe, officially recognized the mass killing of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks, but did not make denial of the genocide a crime or
institute a penalty for those who deny it or "outrageously minimize"
the killings. Now, the proposed law carries a penalty of up to one
year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euro ($58,870).
France does not view the bill as targeting Turkey, as it applies to
all genocides and is not specifically about the Armenian killings.
"The government backs the idea that genocides cannot be denied,"
said government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse after a weekly cabinet
meeting. "Each and every country must have the courage to ... assess
its history with lucidity."
The French government "does not think it is an attack against Turkey,"
added Valerie Pecresse.
Turkey insists up to 1.5 million Armenians killed in 1915 and later
were victims of World War I and rejects the term "genocide." Ankara
called the measure "petty political calculations", suggesting President
Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking the support of the Armenian community in
France in the upcoming presidential poll.
In its campaign against the legislation, Turkey has warned France of
"grave consequences" to economic and political ties. Hundreds of
members of the Turkish community gathered behind France's National
Assembly in Paris on Thursday to protest against the bill.
From: A. Papazian
Russia Today
http://rt.com/news/france-turkey-genocide-armenia-433/
Dec 22 2011
Turkey is recalling its ambassador from France, according to the
Turkish state broadcaster TRT. Ankara is making the move in protest
after the French parliament passed a law making the denial of the
Armenian holocaust a crime.
The French lawmakers put the 1915 atrocity on a par with Holocaust
denial by simple raising their hands on Thursday. The majority in
favor was so clear that no count was needed. The measure now goes to
the Senate, which killed an earlier attempt at passing the criminal
law earlier this year.
In 2001 France, which is home to the largest ethnic Armenian community
in Europe, officially recognized the mass killing of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks, but did not make denial of the genocide a crime or
institute a penalty for those who deny it or "outrageously minimize"
the killings. Now, the proposed law carries a penalty of up to one
year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euro ($58,870).
France does not view the bill as targeting Turkey, as it applies to
all genocides and is not specifically about the Armenian killings.
"The government backs the idea that genocides cannot be denied,"
said government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse after a weekly cabinet
meeting. "Each and every country must have the courage to ... assess
its history with lucidity."
The French government "does not think it is an attack against Turkey,"
added Valerie Pecresse.
Turkey insists up to 1.5 million Armenians killed in 1915 and later
were victims of World War I and rejects the term "genocide." Ankara
called the measure "petty political calculations", suggesting President
Nicolas Sarkozy is seeking the support of the Armenian community in
France in the upcoming presidential poll.
In its campaign against the legislation, Turkey has warned France of
"grave consequences" to economic and political ties. Hundreds of
members of the Turkish community gathered behind France's National
Assembly in Paris on Thursday to protest against the bill.
From: A. Papazian