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The Times (London), UK
December 23, 2011 Friday
Edition 2; National Edition
Turkey recalls envoy over ban on denial of Armenian genocide
by Adam Sage; Charles Bremner
A diplomatic crisis erupted between Nato allies yesterday as Turkey
reacted furiously to French legislation making it an offence to deny
that the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire was genocide.
Relations between Ankara and Paris were pushed to breaking point as
the Bill, dealing with the pogrom of Turkey's Armenian minority
between 1915 and 1917, was approved by the Lower House of parliament
in France.
As protests broke out in Ankara, Turkish leaders denounced what they
said was an insult to their national honour. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the
Prime Minister, said he would recall his country's Ambassador to Paris
for consultations, suspend military co-operation and cancel political
meetings between Turkish and French ministers. He described it as
"politics based on racism, discrimination, xenophobia".
With Ankara accusing France of masking its own murky past, there were
signs of disunity in Paris. In an interview with The Times, Alain
Juppé, the French Foreign Minister, distanced himself from legislation
that was inspired by President Sarkozy. Noting that France had already
passed a law formally recognising as genocide the deaths of up to 1.5
million Armenians, Mr Juppé said: "Should one go beyond that and make
it a crime to deny the genocide? I think that that is not useful."
In another indication that Paris may wilt under the Turkish backlash,
Bernard Accoyer, the Speaker of the National Assembly, said that the
legislation was unlikely to be adopted by both Houses of parliament
before the presidential election in May.
Although both Mr Sarkozy and François Hollande, his Socialist rival,
publicly back the Bill, commentators suggested that they may
ultimately back down. In an editorial, Le Monde pointed out that
Turkey was a key ally in the Middle East and a strategic partner in
Syria. "A showdown with Ankara today is absurd," the newspaper said.
The measures announced by Mr Erdogan will curtail Gallic military
operations such as the docking in Istanbul last month of the frigate
Commandant Birot. Paris is also worried about the impact on bilateral
trade, which was worth (EURO)11.6 billion (£9.7 billion) last year.
With a trade deficit likely to exceed (EURO)70 billion this year,
France can scarcely afford to risk a consumer boycotts in its
sixth-biggest export market.
Franco-Turkish relations are already strained by President Sarkozy's
opposition to Ankara's campaign to join the European Union. About 20
countries have passed legislation to recognise the Armenian massacres
as genocide, but Britain is not among them. France is the first to
seek to punish those who contest the official version.
The maximum sentence for genocide denial, under the Bill, is one year
in prison and a fine of (EURO)45,000.
Armenia welcomed the vote in parliament as an historic move. Edward
Nalbandian, the Armenian Foreign Minister, said: "I would like to once
again express my gratitude to France's top leadership, to the National
Assembly, and to the French people."
France debated introducing similar legislation in 2006, but dropped
the proposal in the face of Turkish wrath. Le Monde said that Mr
Sarkozy had changed tack to win over France's 500,000-strong Armenian
community before the presidential election.
December 23, 2011 Friday
Edition 2; National Edition
Turkey recalls envoy over ban on denial of Armenian genocide
by Adam Sage; Charles Bremner
A diplomatic crisis erupted between Nato allies yesterday as Turkey
reacted furiously to French legislation making it an offence to deny
that the massacre of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire was genocide.
Relations between Ankara and Paris were pushed to breaking point as
the Bill, dealing with the pogrom of Turkey's Armenian minority
between 1915 and 1917, was approved by the Lower House of parliament
in France.
As protests broke out in Ankara, Turkish leaders denounced what they
said was an insult to their national honour. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the
Prime Minister, said he would recall his country's Ambassador to Paris
for consultations, suspend military co-operation and cancel political
meetings between Turkish and French ministers. He described it as
"politics based on racism, discrimination, xenophobia".
With Ankara accusing France of masking its own murky past, there were
signs of disunity in Paris. In an interview with The Times, Alain
Juppé, the French Foreign Minister, distanced himself from legislation
that was inspired by President Sarkozy. Noting that France had already
passed a law formally recognising as genocide the deaths of up to 1.5
million Armenians, Mr Juppé said: "Should one go beyond that and make
it a crime to deny the genocide? I think that that is not useful."
In another indication that Paris may wilt under the Turkish backlash,
Bernard Accoyer, the Speaker of the National Assembly, said that the
legislation was unlikely to be adopted by both Houses of parliament
before the presidential election in May.
Although both Mr Sarkozy and François Hollande, his Socialist rival,
publicly back the Bill, commentators suggested that they may
ultimately back down. In an editorial, Le Monde pointed out that
Turkey was a key ally in the Middle East and a strategic partner in
Syria. "A showdown with Ankara today is absurd," the newspaper said.
The measures announced by Mr Erdogan will curtail Gallic military
operations such as the docking in Istanbul last month of the frigate
Commandant Birot. Paris is also worried about the impact on bilateral
trade, which was worth (EURO)11.6 billion (£9.7 billion) last year.
With a trade deficit likely to exceed (EURO)70 billion this year,
France can scarcely afford to risk a consumer boycotts in its
sixth-biggest export market.
Franco-Turkish relations are already strained by President Sarkozy's
opposition to Ankara's campaign to join the European Union. About 20
countries have passed legislation to recognise the Armenian massacres
as genocide, but Britain is not among them. France is the first to
seek to punish those who contest the official version.
The maximum sentence for genocide denial, under the Bill, is one year
in prison and a fine of (EURO)45,000.
Armenia welcomed the vote in parliament as an historic move. Edward
Nalbandian, the Armenian Foreign Minister, said: "I would like to once
again express my gratitude to France's top leadership, to the National
Assembly, and to the French people."
France debated introducing similar legislation in 2006, but dropped
the proposal in the face of Turkish wrath. Le Monde said that Mr
Sarkozy had changed tack to win over France's 500,000-strong Armenian
community before the presidential election.