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HOLLANDE PLEDGES BETTER TIES WITH TURKEY, WHILE ERDOGAN SETTING PRECONDITIONS
arminfo
Monday, May 7, 13:35
Socialist presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande promised on the
eve of French elections that he will mend strained ties with Turkey,
which came to the brink of no return after a draft genocide bill
issued last year penalized the denial of Armenian of genocide in the
Ottoman Empire, Today's Zaman reports.
In a letter sent on Friday, two days ahead of the elections, to Paris
Anatolia Cultural Center Chairman Demir Onger, Hollande, who is on
course to win this weekend's presidential runoff against incumbent
President Nicolas Sarkozy, pledged to recreate positive ties with
Turkey, but added that he will redraft the genocide bill to make it
constitutional if elected. He rejected the idea that the genocide bill
targets Turkey or the Turkish community, saying that it only foresees
equal treatment for all crimes of genocide recognized in France. "My
view [on Turkey's EU bid] has not changed since 2004. Premier Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said, in turn, Nicolas Sarzoky had promised to quit
politics if he lost the election, and noted that Sarkozy would most
probably be on holiday from now on.
"Turkey-France relations should be better, based on peace, solidarity
and sensitivity in this new era in France," Erdogan held a press
conference in the southeastern province of Gaziantep before he left
for Slovenia. Erdogan said if populist messages in election campaigns
were reflected on implementations of the new administration in France,
it would have a negative impact on Turkey-France relations. "I hope
that they would just remain as remarks made at squares," he said.
From: Baghdasarian
arminfo
Monday, May 7, 13:35
Socialist presidential frontrunner Francois Hollande promised on the
eve of French elections that he will mend strained ties with Turkey,
which came to the brink of no return after a draft genocide bill
issued last year penalized the denial of Armenian of genocide in the
Ottoman Empire, Today's Zaman reports.
In a letter sent on Friday, two days ahead of the elections, to Paris
Anatolia Cultural Center Chairman Demir Onger, Hollande, who is on
course to win this weekend's presidential runoff against incumbent
President Nicolas Sarkozy, pledged to recreate positive ties with
Turkey, but added that he will redraft the genocide bill to make it
constitutional if elected. He rejected the idea that the genocide bill
targets Turkey or the Turkish community, saying that it only foresees
equal treatment for all crimes of genocide recognized in France. "My
view [on Turkey's EU bid] has not changed since 2004. Premier Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said, in turn, Nicolas Sarzoky had promised to quit
politics if he lost the election, and noted that Sarkozy would most
probably be on holiday from now on.
"Turkey-France relations should be better, based on peace, solidarity
and sensitivity in this new era in France," Erdogan held a press
conference in the southeastern province of Gaziantep before he left
for Slovenia. Erdogan said if populist messages in election campaigns
were reflected on implementations of the new administration in France,
it would have a negative impact on Turkey-France relations. "I hope
that they would just remain as remarks made at squares," he said.
From: Baghdasarian