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TURKEY'S FIGHT AGAINST SARKOZYISM
Today's Zaman
Feb 2 2012
Turkey
France has been at the heart of intense debates for its recent
bill that criminalizes denying that the World War I-era killings of
Armenians constitute genocide. The French Parliament, specifically
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has received harsh criticism from
Turkish politicians, who perceive the bill as an attack.
They argue against terming the killings of Armenians "genocide," and
they oppose its negative implications for individual rights and the
freedom of expression. On Tuesday 77 senators and 65 députés appealed
to the country's supreme Constitutional Council to overturn the bill.
The council is now expected to examine whether the bill, passed in
both houses of the French Parliament, violates the French constitution
and its foundation of freedom of expression.
Bugun's Ahmet TaÅ~_getiren observes that Turkey has recently witnessed
those who planned to overthrow the government be put on trial, such
as the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer trials. But their mindset persists.
"The people of this mindset were actually quite happy to see that the
foreign affairs policy of the government, which has been supported
by many people, does not work anymore, and the government must now
bow its head to French stubbornness. They played the 'good cop,'
suggesting that the government accept that the events 1915 were
indeed genocide, saying 'If you give up and term them genocide,
Europe will love and accept you.' This was a game France started,
but many opposition party members and media outlets made the game
benefit themselves. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
would be in such a tight position that it would either have to abandon
its argument, or its hope of entering the EU," says TaÅ~_getiren. He
adds that the AK Party understood this and played the situation well
by attacking the bill for contradicting with individual rights and
freedoms. And the support of 142 French senators and lawmakers with
common sense will help the AK Party win this game.
Another columnist from the Bugun daily, Gultekin Avcı, in his article
"The secret aim of Sarkozyism," says that despite fears and worries,
Turkey has handled the crisis with France well by remaining calm and
reasonable, while insisting on its argument. Avcı says: If Turkey's
reaction had been more like the internal debates between the ruling
party and opposition parties, things would be much different. But when
it comes to a country's foreign affairs, politicians should watch their
actions and words 100 times more carefully. "It is true that thousands
of Armenians live in France and the government has to consider the
common good. But there are also some logical reasons why we interpret
this bill as an attack on Turkey," he says. Avcı describes the bill
as part of a policy of "Sarkozyism." He says that, in parallel with
France's obvious opposition to Turkey's bid to enter the EU, the bill
can be rightfully seen as a move to leave Turkey alone both in Europe
and the Middle East, as is Sarkozy's hope for the long run.
Today's Zaman
Feb 2 2012
Turkey
France has been at the heart of intense debates for its recent
bill that criminalizes denying that the World War I-era killings of
Armenians constitute genocide. The French Parliament, specifically
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has received harsh criticism from
Turkish politicians, who perceive the bill as an attack.
They argue against terming the killings of Armenians "genocide," and
they oppose its negative implications for individual rights and the
freedom of expression. On Tuesday 77 senators and 65 députés appealed
to the country's supreme Constitutional Council to overturn the bill.
The council is now expected to examine whether the bill, passed in
both houses of the French Parliament, violates the French constitution
and its foundation of freedom of expression.
Bugun's Ahmet TaÅ~_getiren observes that Turkey has recently witnessed
those who planned to overthrow the government be put on trial, such
as the Ergenekon and Sledgehammer trials. But their mindset persists.
"The people of this mindset were actually quite happy to see that the
foreign affairs policy of the government, which has been supported
by many people, does not work anymore, and the government must now
bow its head to French stubbornness. They played the 'good cop,'
suggesting that the government accept that the events 1915 were
indeed genocide, saying 'If you give up and term them genocide,
Europe will love and accept you.' This was a game France started,
but many opposition party members and media outlets made the game
benefit themselves. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party)
would be in such a tight position that it would either have to abandon
its argument, or its hope of entering the EU," says TaÅ~_getiren. He
adds that the AK Party understood this and played the situation well
by attacking the bill for contradicting with individual rights and
freedoms. And the support of 142 French senators and lawmakers with
common sense will help the AK Party win this game.
Another columnist from the Bugun daily, Gultekin Avcı, in his article
"The secret aim of Sarkozyism," says that despite fears and worries,
Turkey has handled the crisis with France well by remaining calm and
reasonable, while insisting on its argument. Avcı says: If Turkey's
reaction had been more like the internal debates between the ruling
party and opposition parties, things would be much different. But when
it comes to a country's foreign affairs, politicians should watch their
actions and words 100 times more carefully. "It is true that thousands
of Armenians live in France and the government has to consider the
common good. But there are also some logical reasons why we interpret
this bill as an attack on Turkey," he says. Avcı describes the bill
as part of a policy of "Sarkozyism." He says that, in parallel with
France's obvious opposition to Turkey's bid to enter the EU, the bill
can be rightfully seen as a move to leave Turkey alone both in Europe
and the Middle East, as is Sarkozy's hope for the long run.