FRANCE WARNED OVER ARMENIAN LAW
by Geoff Meade, PA Europe editor, Brussels
Press Association Newsfile
October 11, 2006 Wednesday 6:47 PM BST
France risks sabotaging Turkish EU membership by criminalising denial
of the Armenian holocaust, a Euro-MP warned tonight.
Labour’s Richard Howitt said if a French Parliament vote backs the
plan tomorrow, it will send the wrong signal to the Turkish Government,
which is under EU pressure to open up freedom of speech.
"While the EU is encouraging Turkey to promote freedom of expression,
especially on this issue, the French are sending entirely the wrong
signal by closing down debate within their own country.
"There is a huge gulf between what some French Parliamentarians are
trying to do and promoting real understanding of the tragedies of
history. They should not be playing political football with what is
an incredibly sensitive issue within Turkish society."
The Turkish Government denies the systematic genocide by the Ottoman
Turks in 1915 of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians, but recognition
of the atrocity has not been made a pre-condition of joining the EU.
But Mr Howitt echoed European Commission fears that if France cracks
down on genocide denial, it will effectively impose such a condition,
while undoing progress so far in getting Ankara to relax its current
general restrictions on free expression.
"The EU must remain resolute in its commitment to Turkish accession,
abiding by the promises it has already made to the Turkish
government. Anything other than a full and honest engagement in this
process by all member states will only increase Turkish fears of
bad faith.
"The upcoming vote in the French Parliament risks becoming a
precondition upon the Turkish government" said Mr Howitt.
The new French law, if adopted tomorrow, would make it an offence
triggering a jail sentence to deny the fact of the Armenian genocide.
Only last month French President Chirac said in Armenia that Turkey
should recognise the genocide before being allowed to join the EU –
adding to strains between Paris and Ankara.