FINNISH FM TOUMIOJA: FRENCH DECISION WAS "STUPID"

Hurriyet, Turkey
Oct 17 2006

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, speaking about last week’s
approval in France of the bill calling for jail time and monetary
fines for people denying the so-called Armenian genocide, has called
the French Parliament’s decision "stupid."

Finland is currently the term president of the EU. Tuomioja’s
comments were published on a Finnish web site; the Finnish FM also
noted in his comments that the French decision would serve to inflame
nationalistic circles within Turkey. Said Toumioja "My calling this
French decision ‘stupid,’ and my hope that the bill is immediately
withdrawn has nothing to do with actually happened to the Armenians
in Turkey. Personally, I do think that ‘genocide’ is the correct term
to describe what happened to Armenians in the past, and I wish that
Turkey would be ready to accept this."