ANKARA REACTS TO ARMENIAN BILL IN FRENCH PARLIAMENT
By Suleyman Kurt, Ankara
Zaman, Turkey
Sept 30 2006
Ankara has harshly criticized a bill in the French Parliament that
would make it a crime to publicly deny the Armenian genocide.
An official told Zaman that if such a regulation was legalized,
France would be at a loss. Reactions to the bill are being evaluated
in Ankara.
Turkish Ambassador to France Osman Koruturk is not expected to be
called back to Ankara.
A group of Turkish MPs will issue attempts to present their position
in Paris on the genocide bill, scheduled to be discussed on Oct. 12.
The parliamentarian will remind their counterparts about Turkey’s
expansions related to the 1915 events by pointing at their offer to
establish a "joint history commission."
While paying a visit to France, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul called on his French counterpart Phillippe Douste-Blazy to join
the commission.
Bids on the Agenda
Turkish MPs have insinuated that France’s economy could suffer
significantly from the proposed law. French companies are interested in
a nuclear power station bid and demand selling helicopters to Turkey.
Ankara also points out that the regulation France seeks to implement
counters the freedom of expression.
Meanwhile, French President Jacques Chirac’s visit to Yerevan is
being closely monitored. His statements during the visit are likely
to determine a much clearer policy in the upcoming week.
