ANKARA COOL TO FRENCH MOVE ON 'GENOCIDE'
Hurriyet Daily News
July 9 2012
Turkey
Ankara remains calm and cool-headed after French President confirms
plans for a new law criminalizing the denial of Armenian genocide
allegations.
French President Francois Hollande's promise to the strong Armenian
diaspora to pass a law penalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide
is seen an attempt to alleviate their concerns in the wake of the
normalization of ties between Ankara and Paris.
"We pay more attention to the statement of French Foreign Minister
Laurent Fabius," a Turkish foreign ministry official said yesterday,
obviously referring to a meeting between the two countries' foreign
ministers on July 5 in Paris. The meeting between Fabius and Ahmet
Davutoglu marked a new beginning between the two allies after their
relations ruined during Nicholas Sarkozy's presidency.
During the joint press conference, Fabius recalled that earlier
attempt to penalize the denial of the genocide was annulled by the
French Constitutional Council and severely hurt bilateral relations.
He added that a fresh attempt at the Parliament would mean
re-experiencing these bitter times.
Hollande confirmed on July 7 plans for a new law criminalizing denial
of the Armenian genocide allegations, showing the rift between Elysee
and the Cabinet. Hollande's conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy
had pushed ahead with a bill to criminalize denial of the Armenian
genocide allegations, which passed the National Assembly in December
2011, but was canceled by a top constitutional court.
Hurriyet Daily News
July 9 2012
Turkey
Ankara remains calm and cool-headed after French President confirms
plans for a new law criminalizing the denial of Armenian genocide
allegations.
French President Francois Hollande's promise to the strong Armenian
diaspora to pass a law penalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide
is seen an attempt to alleviate their concerns in the wake of the
normalization of ties between Ankara and Paris.
"We pay more attention to the statement of French Foreign Minister
Laurent Fabius," a Turkish foreign ministry official said yesterday,
obviously referring to a meeting between the two countries' foreign
ministers on July 5 in Paris. The meeting between Fabius and Ahmet
Davutoglu marked a new beginning between the two allies after their
relations ruined during Nicholas Sarkozy's presidency.
During the joint press conference, Fabius recalled that earlier
attempt to penalize the denial of the genocide was annulled by the
French Constitutional Council and severely hurt bilateral relations.
He added that a fresh attempt at the Parliament would mean
re-experiencing these bitter times.
Hollande confirmed on July 7 plans for a new law criminalizing denial
of the Armenian genocide allegations, showing the rift between Elysee
and the Cabinet. Hollande's conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy
had pushed ahead with a bill to criminalize denial of the Armenian
genocide allegations, which passed the National Assembly in December
2011, but was canceled by a top constitutional court.