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TURKEY THREATENS SANCTIONS OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL, FRANCE APPEALS FOR CALM
Al-Manar TV (Hezbollah)
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=43059&frid=22&seccatid=55&cid=22& fromval=1
Jan 23 2012
Lebanon
Turkey threatens to impose "permanent" sanctions against France if the
Senate approves a bill to criminalize denying the Armenian genocide.
Following the Turkish threat, Paris appealed to Ankara for calm,
stressing the latter is an important ally.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told FRANCE 24 channel that
the proposed law was an affront to freedom of expression that would
make him a criminal for openly discussing the genocide.
"If I am asked a question by a journalist, how could I remain silent?"
he asked. "This bill would punish me for having an opinion on an
historical event. It goes against all European and French values of
freedom of expression."
The Senate was due to vote on Monday to approve a bill that was passed
by the lower National Assembly last month.
The draft law would outlaw any public denial of genocides recognized
by the French state, including the so-called Holocaust of the Second
World War as well as the Armenian genocide.
For its part, France appealed to Turkey for calm saying Ankara was
an important ally of Paris.
"We appeal for calm," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero
told journalists.
"Turkey is a very important partner and ally of France," he said, with
senators due to vote on the diplomatically fraught bill later Monday.
From: A. Papazian
Al-Manar TV (Hezbollah)
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=43059&frid=22&seccatid=55&cid=22& fromval=1
Jan 23 2012
Lebanon
Turkey threatens to impose "permanent" sanctions against France if the
Senate approves a bill to criminalize denying the Armenian genocide.
Following the Turkish threat, Paris appealed to Ankara for calm,
stressing the latter is an important ally.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told FRANCE 24 channel that
the proposed law was an affront to freedom of expression that would
make him a criminal for openly discussing the genocide.
"If I am asked a question by a journalist, how could I remain silent?"
he asked. "This bill would punish me for having an opinion on an
historical event. It goes against all European and French values of
freedom of expression."
The Senate was due to vote on Monday to approve a bill that was passed
by the lower National Assembly last month.
The draft law would outlaw any public denial of genocides recognized
by the French state, including the so-called Holocaust of the Second
World War as well as the Armenian genocide.
For its part, France appealed to Turkey for calm saying Ankara was
an important ally of Paris.
"We appeal for calm," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero
told journalists.
"Turkey is a very important partner and ally of France," he said, with
senators due to vote on the diplomatically fraught bill later Monday.
From: A. Papazian