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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 12 2012
Turkish officials offer France olive branch
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Serkan DemirtaÅ?
Turkey offers olive branches to the new French President, including a
phone call from PM ErdoÄ?an and a letter from President Gül, in an
attempt to mend ties
Turkey seeks a new era with France after the election of Hollande. REUTERS photo
Turkey and France, the sparring partners of Europe, are making
tentative moves to mend their ruined ties, just days after Socialist
François Hollande was elected as the new French President. However,
more time is needed for a full recovery, according to Turkish
government officials.
`We have sincerely expressed our will and intention to fix our ties
with France. This is not only important in terms of bilateral
relations but also with regard to a number of international and
regional issues of our common interest,' a senior Turkish official
told the Hürriyet Daily News Friday.
Turkey has taken the first step and offered a hand of friendship to
the newly elected French President François Hollande, aiming to break
the ice with Europe's new heavyweight. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an has made a phone call to Hollande to congratulate him on his
electoral success, which followed a carefully-crafted congratulatory
letter sent by President Abdullah Gül.
ErdoÄ?an telephoned Hollande late Thursday and the two talked for 12
minutes, in what was `quite a good conversation about a new era' in
bilateral relations, an official from the prime minister's office told
the Hürriyet Daily News.
Relations between Turkey and France, whose diplomatic relations date
back to the 16th century, hit rock bottom during outgoing Nicholas
Sarkozy's presidency due to the former French president's
non-negotiable policies against Turkish membership of the European
Union and insistence on passing the bill penalizing denial of Armenian
genocide. Though Sarkozy's move on the latter has since been annulled
by the French Constitutional Council, political and military sanctions
imposed by Turkey against France are still in effect.
However, with the election of a Socialist President whose party
delivers moderate messages regarding Turkey's joining of the EU, the
Turkish government has decided to lead the rapprochement process.
France is among the countries on which Turkey places the utmost
importance, ErdoÄ?an has stressed, voicing his hope that the
deep-rooted Turkish-French relations would `get rid of artificial
problems that do not befit this common past,' the official said.
ErdoÄ?an also wished Hollande's party success in the parliamentary
elections next month.
Hollande responded that he too values relations with Turkey - a
country he has praised for its growing economy - and stressed that the
two countries share a common position on many international issues,
according to the official. However he did not go into specific issues
and did not drop any hint on whether or not France would soften its
objections to opening new chapters in Turkey's accession talks with
the European Union.
In a letter to Hollande earlier this week, President Abdullah Gül
congratulated France's president-elect, also expressing his hope that
bilateral ties would gain a new momentum during his presidency and
that the two countries would create a `strong Europe' together.
`Turkey is ready to hold close cooperation during your presidency,'
said Gül in his letter.
Gül and Hollande are expected to meet in Chicago, if only briefly, on
the margins of the NATO Summit slated for May 20-21.
Armenian genocide still a problem
Although there are hopes for repaired ties, there are still potential
risks that could prevent the reconciliation process. Hollande, like
Sarkozy, promised his French Armenian electorate that he would
penalize denial of Armenian genocide during the election campaign.
Given the fact that Hollande's Socialist Party will run for
parliamentary elections in mid-June, similar tension between two
countries could resurface. This is why Turkey's Ambassador to Paris,
Tahsin BurcuoÄ?lu, has publicly urged the French leadership not to
bring the issue back to the agenda if they value relations with
Turkey.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-officials-offer-france-olive-branch.aspx?pageID=238&nID584&NewsCatID=338
May/12/2012
May 12 2012
Turkish officials offer France olive branch
ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News
Serkan DemirtaÅ?
Turkey offers olive branches to the new French President, including a
phone call from PM ErdoÄ?an and a letter from President Gül, in an
attempt to mend ties
Turkey seeks a new era with France after the election of Hollande. REUTERS photo
Turkey and France, the sparring partners of Europe, are making
tentative moves to mend their ruined ties, just days after Socialist
François Hollande was elected as the new French President. However,
more time is needed for a full recovery, according to Turkish
government officials.
`We have sincerely expressed our will and intention to fix our ties
with France. This is not only important in terms of bilateral
relations but also with regard to a number of international and
regional issues of our common interest,' a senior Turkish official
told the Hürriyet Daily News Friday.
Turkey has taken the first step and offered a hand of friendship to
the newly elected French President François Hollande, aiming to break
the ice with Europe's new heavyweight. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an has made a phone call to Hollande to congratulate him on his
electoral success, which followed a carefully-crafted congratulatory
letter sent by President Abdullah Gül.
ErdoÄ?an telephoned Hollande late Thursday and the two talked for 12
minutes, in what was `quite a good conversation about a new era' in
bilateral relations, an official from the prime minister's office told
the Hürriyet Daily News.
Relations between Turkey and France, whose diplomatic relations date
back to the 16th century, hit rock bottom during outgoing Nicholas
Sarkozy's presidency due to the former French president's
non-negotiable policies against Turkish membership of the European
Union and insistence on passing the bill penalizing denial of Armenian
genocide. Though Sarkozy's move on the latter has since been annulled
by the French Constitutional Council, political and military sanctions
imposed by Turkey against France are still in effect.
However, with the election of a Socialist President whose party
delivers moderate messages regarding Turkey's joining of the EU, the
Turkish government has decided to lead the rapprochement process.
France is among the countries on which Turkey places the utmost
importance, ErdoÄ?an has stressed, voicing his hope that the
deep-rooted Turkish-French relations would `get rid of artificial
problems that do not befit this common past,' the official said.
ErdoÄ?an also wished Hollande's party success in the parliamentary
elections next month.
Hollande responded that he too values relations with Turkey - a
country he has praised for its growing economy - and stressed that the
two countries share a common position on many international issues,
according to the official. However he did not go into specific issues
and did not drop any hint on whether or not France would soften its
objections to opening new chapters in Turkey's accession talks with
the European Union.
In a letter to Hollande earlier this week, President Abdullah Gül
congratulated France's president-elect, also expressing his hope that
bilateral ties would gain a new momentum during his presidency and
that the two countries would create a `strong Europe' together.
`Turkey is ready to hold close cooperation during your presidency,'
said Gül in his letter.
Gül and Hollande are expected to meet in Chicago, if only briefly, on
the margins of the NATO Summit slated for May 20-21.
Armenian genocide still a problem
Although there are hopes for repaired ties, there are still potential
risks that could prevent the reconciliation process. Hollande, like
Sarkozy, promised his French Armenian electorate that he would
penalize denial of Armenian genocide during the election campaign.
Given the fact that Hollande's Socialist Party will run for
parliamentary elections in mid-June, similar tension between two
countries could resurface. This is why Turkey's Ambassador to Paris,
Tahsin BurcuoÄ?lu, has publicly urged the French leadership not to
bring the issue back to the agenda if they value relations with
Turkey.
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-officials-offer-france-olive-branch.aspx?pageID=238&nID584&NewsCatID=338
May/12/2012