Tweet
TURKEY PREPARES RETALIATION AGAINST FRANCE OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LAW
RFi
http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20120124-turkey-prepares-retaliation-against-france-over-armenian-genocide-bill
Jan 24 2012
France
Turkey has promised retaliatory measures against France after the
Upper House passed a bill by 127 votes to 86 making the denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime punishable by up to a year in jail.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has already said the law would trigger
permanent sanctions arguing that it goes against European values and
would not help Turkish-Armenian relations.
Trade between France and Turkey was worth 12 billion euros in 2010
with several hundred businesses operating there.
The Turkish press on Thursday was unanimous in its criticism of the
bill accusing France of breaching the right of freedom of expression.
"Shame on you, France," wrote the daily Vatan. "In voting the bill
on the genocide denial, France has turned its back on its own past."
And ministers were equally quick to condemn the measure and attack
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"With this bill, Mr Sarkozy, will make history as the man who massacred
history," the Anatolia news agency quoted Labour Minister Faruk Celik
as saying. "With this bill either France is denying its history or
we can say France is showing its true face."
Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin telling CNN-Turk television that it
was "a great injustice and shows a total lack of respect for Turkey".
Ankara froze political and military ties with France when the lower
house backed the bill last month. It must now be signed into law by
the president, whose right-wing UMP party put forward the measure.
RFi
http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20120124-turkey-prepares-retaliation-against-france-over-armenian-genocide-bill
Jan 24 2012
France
Turkey has promised retaliatory measures against France after the
Upper House passed a bill by 127 votes to 86 making the denial of
the Armenian genocide a crime punishable by up to a year in jail.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has already said the law would trigger
permanent sanctions arguing that it goes against European values and
would not help Turkish-Armenian relations.
Trade between France and Turkey was worth 12 billion euros in 2010
with several hundred businesses operating there.
The Turkish press on Thursday was unanimous in its criticism of the
bill accusing France of breaching the right of freedom of expression.
"Shame on you, France," wrote the daily Vatan. "In voting the bill
on the genocide denial, France has turned its back on its own past."
And ministers were equally quick to condemn the measure and attack
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"With this bill, Mr Sarkozy, will make history as the man who massacred
history," the Anatolia news agency quoted Labour Minister Faruk Celik
as saying. "With this bill either France is denying its history or
we can say France is showing its true face."
Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin telling CNN-Turk television that it
was "a great injustice and shows a total lack of respect for Turkey".
Ankara froze political and military ties with France when the lower
house backed the bill last month. It must now be signed into law by
the president, whose right-wing UMP party put forward the measure.