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Sabah, Turkey
23 Dec 2011
Step by step requital
Breaking News
Prime Minister Tayyip ErdoÄ?an on Thursday accused France of racism and
xenophobia for passing a bill making it a crime to deny Armenian
allegations of a 1915 mass killing by Ottoman Turks.
ErdoÄ?an called off all economic, political and military meetings with
Paris and cancelled permission for French military planes to land and
warships to dock in Turkey, marking a new low in relations between the
NATO partners. "This is politics based on racism, discrimination and
xenophobia. This is using Turkophobia and Islamophobia to gain votes,
and it raises concerns regarding these issues not only in France but
all Europe," he told a news conference, adding Turkey could "not
remain silent in the face of this".
The bill was proposed by 40 deputies from Sarkozy's party and passed
in France's lower house of parliament. ErdoÄ?an accused French
President Nicolas Sarkozy of sacrificing Turkish-French ties to win
the votes of ethnic Armenians in France in next year's election, and
said the bill limited freedom of speech in France.
"I am asking now if there is freedom of expression and freedom of
thought in France, and I will reply myself, no, there is not," he
said. "Turkish-French ties are not just 50-100 years old. It is a
centuries-old strong relationship, a process that Mr.Sarkozy
sacrifices for the sake of political calculations. This bill will do
more injustice to French people than it does to Turks," ErdoÄ?an said.
"This bill has removed the free discussion atmosphere (in France). The
principles of liberty, fraternity and equality, which form the basis
of the French revolution, have been trampled on." He said the bill was
voted on by only 10 percent of the French lawmakers who attended the
vote at the parliament. "This step will open heavy wounds that will be
difficult to heal in Turkish-French ties," he said. "This is the first
step, the first stage of measures, and they will be implemented
decisively."
The eight item initial sanctions plan released by ErdoÄ?an is as follows:
1. We are recalling Turkey's Paris Ambassador to Ankara for advising.
2. We are cancelling all economic, political and military meetings
with Paris as well as all mutual programs such as seminars, courses
and personnel exchanges.
3. Turkey will no longer collaborate with France on any pairing
projects within the EU framework.
4. All political consulting with France will be halted.
5. All joint military activities and exercises will be cancelled.
6. All annual permission granted for military flights and landing and
take-offs will be cancelled. Permission will be required for every
flight.
7. Turkey will be refusing all applications made for military warships
to dock in Turkey's ports.
8. Turkey will no longer be participating in the Joint Trade Committee
meeting scheduled for January.
23 Dec 2011
Step by step requital
Breaking News
Prime Minister Tayyip ErdoÄ?an on Thursday accused France of racism and
xenophobia for passing a bill making it a crime to deny Armenian
allegations of a 1915 mass killing by Ottoman Turks.
ErdoÄ?an called off all economic, political and military meetings with
Paris and cancelled permission for French military planes to land and
warships to dock in Turkey, marking a new low in relations between the
NATO partners. "This is politics based on racism, discrimination and
xenophobia. This is using Turkophobia and Islamophobia to gain votes,
and it raises concerns regarding these issues not only in France but
all Europe," he told a news conference, adding Turkey could "not
remain silent in the face of this".
The bill was proposed by 40 deputies from Sarkozy's party and passed
in France's lower house of parliament. ErdoÄ?an accused French
President Nicolas Sarkozy of sacrificing Turkish-French ties to win
the votes of ethnic Armenians in France in next year's election, and
said the bill limited freedom of speech in France.
"I am asking now if there is freedom of expression and freedom of
thought in France, and I will reply myself, no, there is not," he
said. "Turkish-French ties are not just 50-100 years old. It is a
centuries-old strong relationship, a process that Mr.Sarkozy
sacrifices for the sake of political calculations. This bill will do
more injustice to French people than it does to Turks," ErdoÄ?an said.
"This bill has removed the free discussion atmosphere (in France). The
principles of liberty, fraternity and equality, which form the basis
of the French revolution, have been trampled on." He said the bill was
voted on by only 10 percent of the French lawmakers who attended the
vote at the parliament. "This step will open heavy wounds that will be
difficult to heal in Turkish-French ties," he said. "This is the first
step, the first stage of measures, and they will be implemented
decisively."
The eight item initial sanctions plan released by ErdoÄ?an is as follows:
1. We are recalling Turkey's Paris Ambassador to Ankara for advising.
2. We are cancelling all economic, political and military meetings
with Paris as well as all mutual programs such as seminars, courses
and personnel exchanges.
3. Turkey will no longer collaborate with France on any pairing
projects within the EU framework.
4. All political consulting with France will be halted.
5. All joint military activities and exercises will be cancelled.
6. All annual permission granted for military flights and landing and
take-offs will be cancelled. Permission will be required for every
flight.
7. Turkey will be refusing all applications made for military warships
to dock in Turkey's ports.
8. Turkey will no longer be participating in the Joint Trade Committee
meeting scheduled for January.