Zaman, Turkey
May 20 2006

Armenian Genocide Bill Postponed; French Companies Relieved
By Economy News Desk
Published: Saturday, May 20, 2006
zaman.com

After French lawmakers dropped the bill that would criminalize denial
of the so-called Armenian Genocide, which nearly halted Paris-Ankara
relations, French companies in Turkey are relieved.

Representatives of the companies noted that agreements worth $14
billion escaped great danger, and expressed their pleasure at the
solution of the problem, even if only a temporary one. Les Echos, a
leading economy newspaper in France, wrote that postponement of the
bill provided a short respite, and added: `The French business
environment was taking the economic sanction threats of Turkey,
especially of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, very
seriously. This decision may also affect new investments. Almstom is
among the companies vying for the tender of the Marmaray Project, a
subway project planned to cost 815 million.’ With their recognition
of the so-called Armenian Genocide, France attempted to pass another
bill criminalizing the denial of the genocide. After the harsh
reaction of Turkey, the bill was suspended despite pressure from the
Armenian lobby in France.

Les Echos, underlining the commercial intensity between the two
countries, cites a probable boycott of French products would result
in major damage, and stresses that even just the thought caused alert
among big French companies such as Alstom, Accor or Danone.

The newspaper commented `the Armenian problem poisoned Turkish-French
relationships previously, too’ and made reference to the so-called
Armenian genocide the French Parliament confirmed in 2001. Les Echos,
recalling the angered call for a boycott by Ankara, wrote `The
economic crisis Turkey went through at that time may have reduced the
effect of the boycott, but the effects are real.’ The newspaper wrote
the French company Thales was excluded from the 120-million-euro
tender regarding the maintenance of F16s in 2001, and that French
companies lost the 260 million euro agreement about the manufacturing
and launching of satellites.