TURKEY THREATENS TO BANISH ARMENIANS LIVING IN ITS COUNTRY IF FRANCE ADOPTS BILL ON PUNISHMENT FOR GENOCIDE DENIAL

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2006

ISTANBUL, OCTOBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. If the bill on
punishment for denial of Armenian Genocide is ratified in France,
Turkey can send back "70 thousand refugee Armenians, towards which
broad-mindedness has been shown by now." This statement was made
by the Turkish parliament’s delegation, which is in Paris for the
purpose of preventing the ratification of the above mentioned bill.

According to Marmara’s report, so, the number of Armenians suddenly
rose to 70 thousand, whereas, 30 thousand Armenians temporarily
residing in Turkey had been spoken about before this.

Deputy Shukru Elekdagh, member of the delegation, former Ambassador
in Washington, spoke about Armenians living in Turkey with status
of refugee at a press conference mentioning that Turkey has closed
eyes to their existence by now against absence of any diplomatic
contacts between the two countries. Elekdagh said that some Armenian,
American and French circles assert that Turkey is afraid of sending
back these 70 thousand Armenians. "If the law is ratified, perhaps,
Turkey will have to prove that it is not at all afraid of sending
back these Armenians," Elekdagh said.

Another member of the delegation, Onur Yoymen, also made a similar
statement, according to which, by now Turkey has closed eyes to
presence of 70 thousand Armenians, but no one can demand from Turkey
to continue to permit the same till the end.