TURK MPS CAUTION FRANCE OVER ARMENIA ‘GENOCIDE’ DRAFT LAW

Kathimerini, Greece
Oct 5 2006

PARIS (Reuters) – Turkish lawmakers warned yesterday that French trade
might be hurt and illegal Armenian immigrants expelled from Turkey if
France’s Parliament passes a law punishing anyone denying an Armenian
"genocide" of 1915. "If this bill is passed, it will damage the
interests not only of France, but also of Armenia," Sukru Elekdag,
a lawmaker in Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s
Party (CHP), told reporters at Turkey’s embassy in Paris.

"There are 70,000 Armenians today who are in Turkey illegally and
who are working… All these people will be expelled (if the bill is
passed)," he said, adding the bill would "poison relations between
Turkey and France."