TUSIAD HEAD SABANCI: "FRANCE’S STANCE SHOWS ITS FEAR"

Turkish Press
Oct 5 2006

Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD)
Chairman Omer Sabanci yesterday criticized the French bill proposing
punishment for people who question the so-called Armenian genocide,
saying that he couldn’t see a French measure restricting expression as
suitable while on the contrary Turkey is taking steps to expand freedom
of expression. "This stance belongs to societies which are afraid
of the truth," said Sabanci. TUSIAD held a panel called "Europe’s
Global Difficulties and Turkey" in Paris as part of Turkish Week,
marking the first anniversary of the beginning of Ankara’s European
Union membership talks. Taking the floor at the panel, French Trade
Minister Christine Lagarde pointed to Turkey’s importance and said,
"France trusts in Turkey’s future."