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TURKISH OPPOSITION PARTY SAYS FRANCE DENIED OWN VALUES WITH GENOCIDE BILL
Today's Zaman
Jan 24 2012
Turkey
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal
Kılıcdaroglu said on Tuesday that France denied its own values with
Monday's approval of a bill which penalizes those who deny that the
1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks amounted to genocide.
"What happened to the 1789 revolution? Where is enlightenment, freedom
of thought?" Kılıcdaroglu asked during a party meeting on Tuesday.
Noting that the responsibility to correct this "mistake" falls on the
French people and intellectuals, he said the French opposition should
take the bill to the country's Constitutional Court for annulment.
"With this shame, France has lost the chance to say they defend
freedoms and have freedom of thought," he added.
The CHP leader also vowed to support the Turkish government in measures
it would take against France in protest of the law.
Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli
also slammed the French move on Tuesday, saying, "The Turkish nation
will never forget this ugliness of France which blocked freedom of
thought." Bahceli added that Turkey did not have any instances of
genocide in its history.
The French Senate approved the bill late Monday, risking more sanctions
from Turkey and complicating an already delicate relationship with
the rising power. Turkey, which sees the allegations of genocide
as a threat to its national honor, has already suspended military,
economic and political ties and briefly recalled its ambassador last
month when the lower house of parliament approved the same bill.
Today's Zaman
Jan 24 2012
Turkey
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal
Kılıcdaroglu said on Tuesday that France denied its own values with
Monday's approval of a bill which penalizes those who deny that the
1915 killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks amounted to genocide.
"What happened to the 1789 revolution? Where is enlightenment, freedom
of thought?" Kılıcdaroglu asked during a party meeting on Tuesday.
Noting that the responsibility to correct this "mistake" falls on the
French people and intellectuals, he said the French opposition should
take the bill to the country's Constitutional Court for annulment.
"With this shame, France has lost the chance to say they defend
freedoms and have freedom of thought," he added.
The CHP leader also vowed to support the Turkish government in measures
it would take against France in protest of the law.
Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli
also slammed the French move on Tuesday, saying, "The Turkish nation
will never forget this ugliness of France which blocked freedom of
thought." Bahceli added that Turkey did not have any instances of
genocide in its history.
The French Senate approved the bill late Monday, risking more sanctions
from Turkey and complicating an already delicate relationship with
the rising power. Turkey, which sees the allegations of genocide
as a threat to its national honor, has already suspended military,
economic and political ties and briefly recalled its ambassador last
month when the lower house of parliament approved the same bill.