Agence France Presse — English
October 13, 2006 Friday

First Turkish protest against French ‘genocide’ bill comes in sports

Turkey’s Taekwondo Federation said Friday it would shun an
international tournament in Paris in protest at a French vote to make
it a crime to deny that there was an Armenian genocide in Turkey.

"The French move is nothing but slander against the Turkish people,"
federation chairman Metin Sahin told the Anatolia news agency.

"We have decided not to take part in the international Paris
tournament even though we have received persistent invitations as
both the men’s and women’s European champions," he added.

Turkey was infuriated when the French National Assembly on Thursday
adopted the bill which stipulates a prison sentence of up to one year
and a fine of up to 45,000 euros (57,000 dollars) against those who
deny the Armenian genocide.

The bill still needs the approval of the Senate and the president to
take effect.