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NOW IS THE TIME TO KEEP QUIET
by Mehmet Ali Birand
Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 2 2012
Turkey
In France, it could have been difficult to send the "Armenian genocide
denial law" to the French Constitutional Council, but there was a
probability. It was certainly not expected to be sent with so many
signatures.
The signatures of only 60 senators would have been sufficient. At
first, signatures arrived with difficulty. Then, suddenly, numbers
soared. Seventy-seven senators and additionally 65 parliamentarians
signed. This figure must have so annoyed the French President Nicolas
Sarkozy that he had a fierce reaction. Despite that, there are people
who even claim the Elysee Palace did not put enough pressure.
What will happen after this?
The Constitutional Council must make a decision by Feb. 29. It will
look for answers related to two topics:
1. Should there be a law regarding the commemorations, or is it
sufficient that Parliament makes a statement?
There are several "commemoration laws" waiting before the French
Parliament. There are many motions that call to account for past
wrongs, such as those of the Bosnian immigrants, or the French soldiers
who lost their lives in Algeria. If the "denial law" is accepted,
then the job of those waiting in line will be easier; several laws
calling the past to account will be processed one after the other. The
Constitutional Council will shed light on this matter.
2. Is the "denial law" in compliance with the French constitution?
The council has three options: (a) To reject the petition and decide
that the law is in compliance with the constitution; (b) totally
reject the law; (c) partially reject the law.
If option B or C is accepted, the law will be revoked and the
whole procedure will start again. In other words, first it has to
pass in the Lower House of Parliament and then it will be brought
to the Senate. And because all of this cannot be rushed before the
presidential elections in May, we will not hear anything of a "denial
law" until next spring.
Keep quiet until Feb. 29
The stage that has been reached today is not a victory for Turkey
and neither does it mean that the "denial law" has been avoided. A
waiting period of one month has been entered, that's all.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's approach after the "denial law"
passed in the Senate created a very positive echo both in Paris and
in the international public. Erdogan did not yell or raise his voice;
on the contrary, he acted very cool. I think he put on a very wise
stance. I'm sure he will continue with this attitude from now on.
My concern is over the performances of some politicians who want to
carry their names to newspaper headlines and who think that what they
do or say will please the prime minister. Those Cabinet ministers or
those Justice and Development Party (AKP) politicians should know that
if they start threatening and start saying things like "France will
pay for this. We will give them hell. We will implement embargoes..."
they will not be able to scare anybody; just the opposite, they will
make the French Constitutional Council angry and maybe reactionary.
Let's not forget that even though the Constitutional Council will
examine the law from a legal point of view, there will inevitably be
a share of political approach in it.
Please keep quiet for a while.
by Mehmet Ali Birand
Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 2 2012
Turkey
In France, it could have been difficult to send the "Armenian genocide
denial law" to the French Constitutional Council, but there was a
probability. It was certainly not expected to be sent with so many
signatures.
The signatures of only 60 senators would have been sufficient. At
first, signatures arrived with difficulty. Then, suddenly, numbers
soared. Seventy-seven senators and additionally 65 parliamentarians
signed. This figure must have so annoyed the French President Nicolas
Sarkozy that he had a fierce reaction. Despite that, there are people
who even claim the Elysee Palace did not put enough pressure.
What will happen after this?
The Constitutional Council must make a decision by Feb. 29. It will
look for answers related to two topics:
1. Should there be a law regarding the commemorations, or is it
sufficient that Parliament makes a statement?
There are several "commemoration laws" waiting before the French
Parliament. There are many motions that call to account for past
wrongs, such as those of the Bosnian immigrants, or the French soldiers
who lost their lives in Algeria. If the "denial law" is accepted,
then the job of those waiting in line will be easier; several laws
calling the past to account will be processed one after the other. The
Constitutional Council will shed light on this matter.
2. Is the "denial law" in compliance with the French constitution?
The council has three options: (a) To reject the petition and decide
that the law is in compliance with the constitution; (b) totally
reject the law; (c) partially reject the law.
If option B or C is accepted, the law will be revoked and the
whole procedure will start again. In other words, first it has to
pass in the Lower House of Parliament and then it will be brought
to the Senate. And because all of this cannot be rushed before the
presidential elections in May, we will not hear anything of a "denial
law" until next spring.
Keep quiet until Feb. 29
The stage that has been reached today is not a victory for Turkey
and neither does it mean that the "denial law" has been avoided. A
waiting period of one month has been entered, that's all.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's approach after the "denial law"
passed in the Senate created a very positive echo both in Paris and
in the international public. Erdogan did not yell or raise his voice;
on the contrary, he acted very cool. I think he put on a very wise
stance. I'm sure he will continue with this attitude from now on.
My concern is over the performances of some politicians who want to
carry their names to newspaper headlines and who think that what they
do or say will please the prime minister. Those Cabinet ministers or
those Justice and Development Party (AKP) politicians should know that
if they start threatening and start saying things like "France will
pay for this. We will give them hell. We will implement embargoes..."
they will not be able to scare anybody; just the opposite, they will
make the French Constitutional Council angry and maybe reactionary.
Let's not forget that even though the Constitutional Council will
examine the law from a legal point of view, there will inevitably be
a share of political approach in it.
Please keep quiet for a while.