‘I HOPE THE FRENCH COME TO THEIR SENSES’

The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday assured Parliament that
Turkey would take all effective measures, including recourse to high
international courts, to combat the French bill that penalizes the
denial of Armenian "genocide."

The declaration of Gul, his first to Parliament since France’s General
Assembly passed the law last week, indicated that Turkey would not
"forget" or "let go" if the bill, which still needs to go through
Senate and be ratified by French president, were enacted.

"I hope that the French come to their senses," said Gul.

He also assured that the government would use all the tools it has in
its hands. "We will use all our rights from international accords. We
are already doing a great deal of preliminary work. Timing is, of
course, another question. We are fully benefiting from the experience
of our legal experts and diplomats," he said.

"We hope that this bill will be left behind without being enacted,"
said Gul. "I hope that they also take into account the international
pressure."

"If this law is enacted, the wounds could not be repaired. It would
be the political, economic and security-related ties which would
receive a large blow," he said.

He also praised Turkish society, saying; "Racism that would be seen
in various countries, intolerance, has never been seen in Turkey. The
basis of our national culture is tolerance," he said.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party leader Deniz Baykal, at
his party’s group meeting, offered a four-phase strategy to show a
response to France.

According to the CHP leader, Turkey should bring the case to
the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), asking the court to
suspend France’s membership in the Council of Europe. The country
also should go to the European Court of Justice, asking the body to
impose sanctions on France and to say the bill violated the European
Union acquis.

The third pillar of Baykal’s strategy was mostly about Turkish citizens
living in France. He proposed organized action against the law as a
response, which would also keep the matter in the headlines.

His last point was economic, Baykal said that Turkey should reconsider
its economic transactions with France. However, he didn’t call boycott
a must.

He said that accusing a people of having committed genocide is not
a simple allegation, and that nobody has right to accuse Turkey
of having done so. He also cited anti-France remarks from several
European countries, and said that truth cannot be hidden.

He also put emphasis on the security of the Armenians living in Turkey
and called on people no to feel hostility towards them for a mistake
made by France.

Motherland Party (ANAVATAN) leader Erkan Mumcu’s focus was what he
called Turkey’s silence on the French bill, for which he criticized
the government.

He lashed out at the government for remarks urging the people to rule
out economic sanctions against France, and said that since France
had insulted Turkey, it should be responded to in kind.