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TURKEY: TURKISH-FRENCH TENSIONS ENTER THE KITCHEN
EurasiaNet.org
Jan 25 2012
NY
Despite threats to punish France for its parliament's recent passing
of a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the mass killing of
Armenians by the Ottoman state in 1915 was a genocide, Ankara for now
is holding back on hitting the French with any sanctions. But things
appear to be a bit different in the culinary realm. As the Financial
Times reports, while the Turkish government might be taking a more
patient approach, some Turks are talking about boycotting Sodexo,
a French company that is responsible for managing a large program
that allows Turkish companies to provide their employees with lunch,
either in-house or by going out using chits. From the FT:
Turkey is talking of boycotts in its increasingly bitter dispute
with France.
At the centre of attention: Sodexo, the French food company now the
target of Istanbul restaurateurs who say revenue from $2bn's worth
of Turkish meals is at stake....
...."We will carry out a boycott against the people who are trying to
blacken the name of Turkey for political reasons in France," declared
Sait Karabagli, the [Chamber of Istanbul Restaurant Owners] chairman,
announcing steps he said would hit not just Sodexo but also Ticket
and Multinet, two other French-owned food groups. "We and our 13,500
members have decided to say enough to the French companies," he added.
Karabagli reckons $150m is at stake in the boycott he is proposing -
part of the reason for his action in the first place. He claimed the
French companies were exploiting Turkish restaurants by imposing an
eight per cent commission on $2bn or so or receipts - and also asked
for help for the Turkish state to get the commission come down.
Sodexo was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, it appears that Turkey's First Lady, Hayrunnisa Gul,
is practicing some dining diplomacy of her own. According to Turkish
reports, Gul is hosting a dinner tomorrow for the spouses of diplomats
in Ankara. Not on the guest list? The wife of French ambassador
Laurent Bili.
EurasiaNet.org
Jan 25 2012
NY
Despite threats to punish France for its parliament's recent passing
of a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the mass killing of
Armenians by the Ottoman state in 1915 was a genocide, Ankara for now
is holding back on hitting the French with any sanctions. But things
appear to be a bit different in the culinary realm. As the Financial
Times reports, while the Turkish government might be taking a more
patient approach, some Turks are talking about boycotting Sodexo,
a French company that is responsible for managing a large program
that allows Turkish companies to provide their employees with lunch,
either in-house or by going out using chits. From the FT:
Turkey is talking of boycotts in its increasingly bitter dispute
with France.
At the centre of attention: Sodexo, the French food company now the
target of Istanbul restaurateurs who say revenue from $2bn's worth
of Turkish meals is at stake....
...."We will carry out a boycott against the people who are trying to
blacken the name of Turkey for political reasons in France," declared
Sait Karabagli, the [Chamber of Istanbul Restaurant Owners] chairman,
announcing steps he said would hit not just Sodexo but also Ticket
and Multinet, two other French-owned food groups. "We and our 13,500
members have decided to say enough to the French companies," he added.
Karabagli reckons $150m is at stake in the boycott he is proposing -
part of the reason for his action in the first place. He claimed the
French companies were exploiting Turkish restaurants by imposing an
eight per cent commission on $2bn or so or receipts - and also asked
for help for the Turkish state to get the commission come down.
Sodexo was unavailable for comment.
Meanwhile, it appears that Turkey's First Lady, Hayrunnisa Gul,
is practicing some dining diplomacy of her own. According to Turkish
reports, Gul is hosting a dinner tomorrow for the spouses of diplomats
in Ankara. Not on the guest list? The wife of French ambassador
Laurent Bili.