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TURKEY BANS FRANCE FROM USING ITS AIRSPACE AND TERRITORIAL WATERS
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 3, 2012 - 16:37 AMT
French state aircraft and warships are no longer using Turkish airspace
and territorial waters after permission requests in three different
cases were rejected by the Turkish government, France's top diplomat
inAnkarasaid, amid the ongoing spat over the French bill penalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial.
"Our requests [for an aircraft and two warships] have been rejected,
so we are no longer issuing such requests. We are using alternative
routes," ambassador of France to TurkeyLaurent Bili said.
Bili said the first rejection was to a request for a French military
aircraft that wanted to use Turkish airspace on its way toFrancefrom
Afghanistan. Similarly, two French warships were not allowed to
enter Turkish territorial waters recently. Turkey's move against the
French military was part of sanctions imposed againstFranceafter the
French Parliament's adoption of the Genocide draft law late December
last year.
"There was such an atmosphere [in Ankara] that necessitated my return
to France," Bili said, adding that the Turkish reaction against
the move was a surprise for many French people but did not affect
Turkey's image in the country. "France attaches great importance
to its ties with Turkey. We need to be calm. The law is not aimed
againstTurkey[...] The number of Armenians living inFranceis 10
times more than the number of Armenians in Turkey. They have become
a part of French history. I understand how sensitive issues are,
but cutting off ties is not a good idea."Hurriyet Daily News quoted
ambassador as saying.
On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. Expected
to be signed into law by President within 14 days, the bill will
impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France
who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.
Two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation
- from both the Senate and the lower house - said they had formally
requested the constitutional council examine the law. The groups said
they each had gathered more than the minimum 60 signatures required
to ask the council to test the law's constitutionality. The council
is obliged to deliver its judgment within a month, but this can be
reduced to eight days if the government deems the matter urgent.
PanARMENIAN.Net
February 3, 2012 - 16:37 AMT
French state aircraft and warships are no longer using Turkish airspace
and territorial waters after permission requests in three different
cases were rejected by the Turkish government, France's top diplomat
inAnkarasaid, amid the ongoing spat over the French bill penalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial.
"Our requests [for an aircraft and two warships] have been rejected,
so we are no longer issuing such requests. We are using alternative
routes," ambassador of France to TurkeyLaurent Bili said.
Bili said the first rejection was to a request for a French military
aircraft that wanted to use Turkish airspace on its way toFrancefrom
Afghanistan. Similarly, two French warships were not allowed to
enter Turkish territorial waters recently. Turkey's move against the
French military was part of sanctions imposed againstFranceafter the
French Parliament's adoption of the Genocide draft law late December
last year.
"There was such an atmosphere [in Ankara] that necessitated my return
to France," Bili said, adding that the Turkish reaction against
the move was a surprise for many French people but did not affect
Turkey's image in the country. "France attaches great importance
to its ties with Turkey. We need to be calm. The law is not aimed
againstTurkey[...] The number of Armenians living inFranceis 10
times more than the number of Armenians in Turkey. They have become
a part of French history. I understand how sensitive issues are,
but cutting off ties is not a good idea."Hurriyet Daily News quoted
ambassador as saying.
On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. Expected
to be signed into law by President within 14 days, the bill will
impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France
who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.
Two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation
- from both the Senate and the lower house - said they had formally
requested the constitutional council examine the law. The groups said
they each had gathered more than the minimum 60 signatures required
to ask the council to test the law's constitutionality. The council
is obliged to deliver its judgment within a month, but this can be
reduced to eight days if the government deems the matter urgent.