TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER URGES FRENCH DEPUTIES

The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 2 2006

Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc yesterday sent a letter to his
French counterpart, asking him not to take sides in the controversial
Armenian genocide matter.

Underlining that judging history should be left to historians,
not parliaments, Arinc said that the French bill, which stipulates
punishing those who deny the Armenian genocide claims, is anti-freedom
of expression and thought, referring to the leading role played by
France in the implementation of basic human rights on the international
stage.

Armenian organizations in France announced last week that a bill
stipulating prison sentences would be brought by the Socialist Party
(PS) to the French Parliament’s floor for debate on May 18. Later last
week the bill also won the support of 100 deputies in the government,
which increased the possibility of Parliament’s approval.

In accordance with the French Parliament’s 2001 recognition of the
Armenian genocide claims, the law could punish “genocide” deniers
with up to a year behind bars.

In related news, the Turkish press reported Monday an exchange of
words between Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and his French
counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy on the sidelines of last week’s NATO
foreign ministers meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria. According to reports,
Gul asked Douste-Blazy whether he would be punished for denying the
genocide claims. “What if I or the Turkish president were to visit
France and state ‘the Armenian genocide is a lie’? What would you
do? Would you put us in prison?” asked Gul, the press reported.