"ARMENIAN ISSUES SHOULD NOT HARM TURKISH-FRENCH RELATIONS"
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
15/09/2006

On September 13, Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul met Turkish
journalists in Paris within the framework of "Dialogue of Peoples and
Cultures" conference organized by the Foreign Ministry of France. As
his visit coincided with a series of arrangements under the slogan
"Armenia – My Friend", journalists asked the FM’s opinion.

"Turkey has no problem of conditioning its relations with France by a
third state. Yet, the Armenian issues should not harm Turkish-French
relations," Abdullah Gul said. According to Zaman daily, the Turkish FM
reminded about 400.000 Turks living in France and said: "Discords can
be discussed. Opinions also can be voiced. But they never should be a
cause for trouble or argument. We would not want it happen. Therefore,
the Turks, the Armenians and the French should be careful."

Mesrop II Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, was also
invited to take part in the conference, Lraber newspaper of the
Patriarchy reports.

On his way to Paris at Ataturk Airport, His Holiness met consul general
of France in Istanbul, Jean- Christoph Posel, and US ambassador
to Turkey, Ross Wilson. Lraber reports that Patriarch Mutafian is
scheduled to meet FM Gul in Paris.