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International Islamic News Agency
Dec 24 2011
Turkey/France: Turkey says `racist' bill opens wounds with France
By IINA- December 24, 2011
ANKARA, 28 Muharram/24 Dec (Agencie/IINA)-Turkey's Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan accused France of racism and xenophobia for passing a
bill making it a crime to deny genocide, including the 1915 mass
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
Erdogan called off recently 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.'
Erdogan 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.
The bill was proposed by 40 deputies from Sarkozy's party and passed
in France's lower house of parliament.
`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,' Erdogan 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 French bill, which will next be put to the Senate, or upper house,
for debate in 2012, has triggered outrage in Turkey.
Even though nearly 100 years have passed since the killings that
coincided with World War One, successive Turkish governments and the
vast majority of Turks feel the charge of genocide is a direct insult
to their nation.
The French bill feeds a sense shared by many Turks that they are
unwanted by Europe and it fires up nationalist fervor. However, in a
more self-confident Turkey, popular reaction has been more muted than
in the past.
AH/IINA
http://iina.me/wp_en/?p=1005917
Dec 24 2011
Turkey/France: Turkey says `racist' bill opens wounds with France
By IINA- December 24, 2011
ANKARA, 28 Muharram/24 Dec (Agencie/IINA)-Turkey's Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan accused France of racism and xenophobia for passing a
bill making it a crime to deny genocide, including the 1915 mass
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks.
Erdogan called off recently 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.'
Erdogan 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.
The bill was proposed by 40 deputies from Sarkozy's party and passed
in France's lower house of parliament.
`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,' Erdogan 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 French bill, which will next be put to the Senate, or upper house,
for debate in 2012, has triggered outrage in Turkey.
Even though nearly 100 years have passed since the killings that
coincided with World War One, successive Turkish governments and the
vast majority of Turks feel the charge of genocide is a direct insult
to their nation.
The French bill feeds a sense shared by many Turks that they are
unwanted by Europe and it fires up nationalist fervor. However, in a
more self-confident Turkey, popular reaction has been more muted than
in the past.
AH/IINA
http://iina.me/wp_en/?p=1005917