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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 23 2011
France `remained French'
YUSUF KANLI
No¦ No¦ I did not Google `France' to find out where it was. That would
have been absurd. France is a great country that has been having
diplomatic relations with Turkey for centuries. Cultural interactions
between Turks and French have been immense. Put aside Galatasaray, the
late Ottoman early republican monumental man of literature Tevfik
Fikret, as is testified with the many words added to the Turkish
language, up until the end of World War II French was the dominant
foreign language in this country and late Ottoman diplomatic
correspondence was all in the French language rather than Turkish.
Despite such strong cultural interaction between the two countries and
peoples, in Turkey there is a rather odd expression: `To remain
French' vis-a-vis something or some development. What's the meaning?
Simply, if someone remains indifferent or intentionally refuses to
acknowledge an important happening, Turks say that person `remained
French.' Obviously there ought to be some connotation of the
expression with the `fatuous French' perception.
Yesterday, by approving the law criminalizing `genocide denial' French
parliament demonstrated that it could indeed `remain French' to the
foremost principle of democracy; freedom of thought. How would France
be able to turn on Turkey and complain of human rights violations in
this country, while itself has taken a step to blatantly violate
freedom of opinion, a fundamental right and moved to criminalize
objections to Armenian charges of genocide? Naturally no one can deny
the immense sufferings of the peoples of Anatolia ` including
Armenians, but not only Armenians ` during World War I and the
dissolution period of the Ottoman Empire? What indeed happened during
that period ought to be examined by historians as Turkey has been
suggesting and Armenia has been rejecting, rather than a handful of
greedy politicians trying to buy Armenian votes. Such laws could of
course silence in France people who would like to research genocide
claims. Could they serve any real purpose other than adding even
further difficulty a process of reconciliation between Turkey and
Armenia?
The approved law does not have a reference to Armenian claims, but as
France adopted earlier a parliamentary resolution describing 1915
events in eastern Anatolia as genocide, this law has angered the
Turks. The law needs to be approved by the French Senate to enter into
force. Because of the tight French political schedule it might not
enter into force by late spring. Whatever, Turks were enraged with the
development and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an indicated that
this time Turkish reaction might go further than some impulsive and
rather symbolic moves aimed mostly at soothing Turkish public outcry.
This law adopted by a handful of greedy supporters of the little man
of the Elyse showed in all clarity at the same time that France could
indeed be held captive by some greedy politicians who would `remain
French' to the French national interests when at stake are their petty
political interests.
If France deserves such politics and politicians, Turkey can as well
`remain French' to the existence of France.
December/23/2011
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Dec 23 2011
France `remained French'
YUSUF KANLI
No¦ No¦ I did not Google `France' to find out where it was. That would
have been absurd. France is a great country that has been having
diplomatic relations with Turkey for centuries. Cultural interactions
between Turks and French have been immense. Put aside Galatasaray, the
late Ottoman early republican monumental man of literature Tevfik
Fikret, as is testified with the many words added to the Turkish
language, up until the end of World War II French was the dominant
foreign language in this country and late Ottoman diplomatic
correspondence was all in the French language rather than Turkish.
Despite such strong cultural interaction between the two countries and
peoples, in Turkey there is a rather odd expression: `To remain
French' vis-a-vis something or some development. What's the meaning?
Simply, if someone remains indifferent or intentionally refuses to
acknowledge an important happening, Turks say that person `remained
French.' Obviously there ought to be some connotation of the
expression with the `fatuous French' perception.
Yesterday, by approving the law criminalizing `genocide denial' French
parliament demonstrated that it could indeed `remain French' to the
foremost principle of democracy; freedom of thought. How would France
be able to turn on Turkey and complain of human rights violations in
this country, while itself has taken a step to blatantly violate
freedom of opinion, a fundamental right and moved to criminalize
objections to Armenian charges of genocide? Naturally no one can deny
the immense sufferings of the peoples of Anatolia ` including
Armenians, but not only Armenians ` during World War I and the
dissolution period of the Ottoman Empire? What indeed happened during
that period ought to be examined by historians as Turkey has been
suggesting and Armenia has been rejecting, rather than a handful of
greedy politicians trying to buy Armenian votes. Such laws could of
course silence in France people who would like to research genocide
claims. Could they serve any real purpose other than adding even
further difficulty a process of reconciliation between Turkey and
Armenia?
The approved law does not have a reference to Armenian claims, but as
France adopted earlier a parliamentary resolution describing 1915
events in eastern Anatolia as genocide, this law has angered the
Turks. The law needs to be approved by the French Senate to enter into
force. Because of the tight French political schedule it might not
enter into force by late spring. Whatever, Turks were enraged with the
development and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an indicated that
this time Turkish reaction might go further than some impulsive and
rather symbolic moves aimed mostly at soothing Turkish public outcry.
This law adopted by a handful of greedy supporters of the little man
of the Elyse showed in all clarity at the same time that France could
indeed be held captive by some greedy politicians who would `remain
French' to the French national interests when at stake are their petty
political interests.
If France deserves such politics and politicians, Turkey can as well
`remain French' to the existence of France.
December/23/2011
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress