Zaman, Turkey
Nov 17 2006
France not Invited to 2007 Defense Industry Fair
By Cihan News Agency
Friday, November 17, 2006
zaman.com
France has not been officially invited for the 8th International
Defense Industry Fair 2007 (IDEF ’07), which will be held in Turkey.
Following a statement from the Turkish Land Forces commander saying
that military ties with France had been suspended, a second concrete
reaction to the French parliament’s passage of a controversial draft
bill on Armenian genocide claims came from the Turkish government.
France has not been officially invited for the fair, Turkish National
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul told press members on Thursday at a
meeting for the introduction of IDEF’07, which is set to be held in
May 2007.
This move is seen as an apparent reaction to the French National
Assembly’s adoption of a draft bill making it a crime to deny that
Turks committed genocide against Armenians during World War I.
Gonul remarked that, however, an announcement was made for French
companies, adding that the participation of French companies in the
fair was something different.
French Military Attache Jean Claude Gea left the meeting immediately
after Gonul’s statement.
On Wednesday, Turkish Land Forces Commander Gen. Ilker Basbug said
that Turkey had suspended military relations with France, adding that
currently "There are no high-level [military] visits between the two
countries," he added.