TURKISH ARMY GENERAL REVEALS MILITARY RIFT WITH FRANCE

Kuwait News Agency, Kuwait
Nov 16 2006

Turkish army general reveals military rift with France

(with POL-FRANCE-TURKEY) ISTANBUL, Nov 16 (KUNA) — Turkish Land
Forces Commander General Ilker Basbug said Thursday that Ankara halted
military cooperation with Paris after the French Parliament officially
recognized the Armenian genocide of 1915.

Basbug said in a statement that the historic Turkish-French
relationships were severely hit by the irresponsible initiative
adopted by a number of French politicians based upon "weak claims."

Whether Turkey canceled any exchanged visits between both sides,
the general said there have not been any high-rank exchanged visits
with France for a while.

Earlier today, French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei
said that Paris did not received any official communication on a
military rift from Turkish authorities.

On October 12, the French parliament approved a draft law punishing
anyone who calls into question or disputes the Armenian genocide,
a similar move to that made by the Parliament on the Jewish holocaust
several years ago.

The new law completes a previous one issued in 2001 that recognizes
the Armenian genocide and includes a one year sentence in jail and
a 45,000 Euro fine for those who question the incident.

On the other hand, Turkey is intending to issue a law punishing anyone
who calls into question the French genocide in Algeria in response
for the French law.

Armenia claims that 1.5 million people were killed in massacres
committed by the Ottoman Empire during World War One, while Turkey
disputes the Armenian claims, saying that 300,000 Armenians and 300,000
Turkish people were killed in the Armenian uprising against the Othman
Empire done in cooperation with the Russian forces. (end) ta.

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