TURKEY ENDS FRENCH MILITARY TIES

BBC News, UK
Nov 16 2006

The French move led to street protests in Turkey The commander of
the Turkish army says his country has suspended all military ties
with France.

General Ilker Basbug said this was in protest at a bill passed by
the French National Assembly to make it a crime to deny the Armenian
"genocide".

Armenia says Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people systematically
in 1915 – a claim strongly denied by Turkey.

Both France and Turkey are members of the Nato military alliance,
and Turkey is a market for French-made weapons.

The dispute comes in the midst of worsening relations between Turkey
and the European Union – of which France is also a key member.

Some European leaders say Turkey is not making sufficient progress
in membership talks to join the Union.

The new French bill, tabled by the opposition but opposed by the French
government, needs approval from the Senate and president before it
becomes law.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress