FRENCH PRESIDENT CALLS TURKISH PREMIER, REGRETS BILL ON ARMENIAN CLAIMS

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
15 Oct 06

Ankara, 15 October: French President Jacques Chirac on Saturday
[14 October] evening telephoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and said he was sorry over adoption of a bill in the French
National Assembly that would make it a crime to deny so-called
Armenian genocide.

It was reported that Chirac told Erdogan that this was a development
pertaining to the upcoming general elections in France and noted that
he would do his best to prevent the bill to become a law.

Turkish PM Erdogan in is part explained Chirac the indignation in the
Turkish government and public, and noted: "We should never sacrifice
our bilateral relations to politics."

Chirac said: "I am very sorry over the initiative of the French
National Assembly. I understand your feelings and furthermore I
share them."

Chirac said any change in positive relations between Turkey and France
was out of question.

Erdogan recalled that he had launched necessary initiatives to prevent
this development.

Erdogan indicated that Turkish public reacted against the remarks
of Chirac on so-called Armenian genocide during his visit to
Armenia. He said statements of Chirac, particularly establishing
relationship between Turkey’s EU membership and baseless allegations
were criticized.

"It is impossible for us to accept this stance of you," Erdogan said.

Chirac said the development in the French parliament would not affect
Turkey’s negotiations with the EU.

Erdogan underscored that the bill contradicted freedom of speech
principle in the French constitution, and noted that it was not
possible to explain this to Turkish people with logical reasons.

Erdogan also said: "This is a problem between Turkey and Armenia. We
felt upset that the researches that have to be carried out by
historians were made a matter of politics."

Erdogan asked French President Chirac to prevent the bill to become
a law.

Chirac reaffirmed that he would continue to support Turkey’s EU
process, and noted that he would do his best to prevent Turkish-French
relations to be damaged in the sensitive political atmosphere.