Month: October 2006

FOREIGN MINISTRY DELIVERS HARSH REACTION TO FRANCE

Zaman Online, Turkey
Oct 12 2006

The Foreign Ministry has stated that relations between Turkey and
France received a severe blow with the passing of the controversial
genocide denial bill.

The statement made by the ministry remarked that, "The long-standing
historical relations between Turkey and France, which have grown
through the centuries with great care, have received a severe blow
today because of the irresponsible attempts – based on groundless
claims – of a group of French politicians who are unable to appreciate
the consequences of the policies they follow."

The statement continues: "Despite of all the diplomatic and
parliamentary efforts carried out hand in hand at all levels for
a long time by the Turkish Parliament, our citizens in France, our
non-governmental organizations and business environments; after being
submitted to the French National Assembly by the Socialist Party last
May without any results, the passing of the bill this time on Oct.12,
2006 in the French National Assembly, envisaging severe punishment
for denying the Armenian genocide, has caused a profound grievance."

——————————– ————————————————
S heer Disappointment A statement released said that today’s Armenian
genocide bill would have to go through a long process for it to become
a law.

It must pass through the senate before final approval by the French
president.

Nonetheless, with this first step taken by the French parliament,
the Turkish government is disappointed.

The statement also reassured the Turkish government of efforts by the
French government to put a stop to any progress with the Armenian bill.

"This bill , a violation of both the French constitutional system
that gives the utmost priority to freedom of expression and the
European Treaty that specifies situations when freedom of expression
and of thought can be restricted, goes against the values of liberty,
brotherhood and equality, identified with the French nation, a source
of inspiration for free world," the statement read.

——————————————- ————————————-
A Typical Contradiction In the statement, it is said "It is a typical
contradiction for a country’s parliament to say, by means of top
authorities, that the parliament has no task of rewriting history,
this responsibility belongs to historians when it is about its own
history but assumes a right to judge other states’ history and to
penalize." In the statement it is also mentioned that discussing such
a bill in France is an example of a double standard. The statement
reads as follows:

"Despite important reforms we have realized in recent years in order to
develop fundamental rights and freedoms and in a period when Turkey
is advised to take additional steps on freedom of expression, the
discussion on such topics as the bill in France is another double
standard. A State’s credibility depends on protecting values that
they lay down for others to follow.

This bill takes the freedom of thought and expression hostage in
a way totally contrary to a democratic regime has sparked a deep
outrage in the Turkish nation as well as in our Armenian citizens.

Seventy million Turkish people reject the restriction of freedom of
thought and expression with reference to baseless allegations.

Unfortunately, this bill makes France lose its privileged position
by the Turkish people."

FRENCH PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LEGISLATION
By Lisa Bryant

Voice of America
Oct 12 2006

French deputies vote Thursday on an Armenian genocide bill that has
sparked warnings of economic sanctions from Turkey and concern from
Brussels.

French president Jacques Chirac (C), his wife Bernadette (white
coat)stand in front of the Memorial to the Armenian Genocide, September
30, 2006 in Yerevan The draft legislation would make it a crime to
deny that Armenians were victims of genocide in Turkey during World
War I. Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million of them were victims
of orchestrated killings by Turkey between 1915 and 1917.

In 2001, France passed a bill recognizing the killings as a genocide.

But Armenians living in France – including this regional representative
– say that is not enough.

Speaking on French radio recently, the representative said French
Armenians have been fighting since 2001 to improve the law to sanction
those who deny the Armenian genocide. He accused Turkey of mounting
a large campaign against the issue, as part of its efforts to join
the European Union.

Turkey is indeed displeased with the French legislation. Ankara has
threatened to block French companies from investing in Turkey, among
other economic sanctions. Ankara argues that only 300 Armenians died –
as did just as many Turks – during civil strife nearly a century ago,
when Armenians fought for independence in the eastern Anatolia region.

The French vote also poses another obstacle to Turkey’s efforts to join
the European Union. The Reuters news agency reported Monday that the
EU’s enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn warned Paris against passing
the bill.

France’s conservative government has also called the bill unecessary –
the legislation was sponsored by the opposition Socialists. It would
still have to be passed by the French Senate and approved by French
President Jacques Chirac before it becomes law.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NIZAMI BAHMANOV: "I DO NOT BELIEVE OSCE EXPERTS’ MONITORING RESULTS"

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 12 2006

"I do not believe that the OSCE experts’ monitoring of the arsons in
occupied Azerbaijan territories will have any result.

"All events concerning Nagorno Karabakh happened under observation of
OSCE since 1992. I have not seen their decisive position yet," Nizami
Bahmanov, the chief of Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno Karabakh told
journalists, APA reports.

He said OSCE will not give any explanation even if the reports on
the arson results will be prepared and send to UNO.

"It will be ineffective. Azerbaijan has video materials about
happenings in occupied regions. Material concerning arson has
been presented to Minsk group. I do not think separatist Nagorno
Karabakh Republic will let OSCE experts enter those areas, because
the territories are under their control. There are terrorists’ bases
in occupied Azerbaijan territories," he said.

URL:

EU CONCERNED BY FRENCH GENOCIDE VOTE

EUPolitix.com, Belgium
Oct 12 2006

The EU has warned that French moves to make denying the Armenian
genocide a crime could damage membership talks with Turkey.

The lower house of the French parliament voted on Thursday to back
plans that would make denying the WWI genocide by Turkish troops
a crime.

A spokeswoman for European commission enlargement chief Olli Rehn
stressed that the decision did not mean the law had been passed,
and that it still had to be approved by the upper house, the senate.

"But commissioner Rehn has made it clear in the last few days that he
believes the law will prohibit debate and dialogue on reconciliation
on this issue," she said.

"Reconciliation is a very important EU value, but we have made it
clear that recognition of the Armenian genocide is not a prerequisite
of Turkish EU membership."

But she did admit that the commission was worried that the French
action could hamper the burgeoning discussion on the genocide in
Turkey.

Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan has recently established
a commission of historians to establish the truth about the genocide,
which Ankara claims was not a planned extermination but due to the
fighting in WWI.

Some commentators have suggested that the French law would limit
freedom of expression – something for which Turkey has been criticised
in the past, and which Rehn believes still needs to be resolved.

The French vote comes on the same day that Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish
writer acquitted last year of denigrating the Turkish state, was
awarded the Nobel prize for literature.

Rehn called the award "good news for all those who want to speak,
search, learn the truth, pursue dialogue, exchange thoughts and
knowledge – not just in Turkey, but everywhere else, in Europe and
in the world".

–Boundary_(ID_gBBcV2T4If/nKxFlbMV8e Q)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRENCH SOCIALISTS CALL THE POLICE TO BAN ANTI ARMENIAN BILL DEMONSTRATIONS IN LYON

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 12 2006

PARIS – The French Socialist who played a crucial role in banning
the Turkish approach regarding the Armenian issue in France, called
the state authorities to prevent the civil demonstrations in Lyon.

Rene Rouquet argued that the French State has the right to ban such
demonstrations. The Turkish people and some French protest the Armenian
bill which makes crime rejecting the Armenian claims.

Dr. Nilgun Gulcan, Turkish EU expert, said "the French socialists
are really strange socialists. Theye are against freedom of speech
and demonstrations. If they oppose the elections tomorrow, it will
not make me surprised".

SIMMONS: THERE IS NO NEED TO CHANGE TALKS’ FORMAT ON SOLUTION TO NK CONFLICT

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 12 2006

NATO supports the efforts made by OSCE Minsk Group on the solution to
Nagorno Garabagh conflict, Robert Simmons, NATO Special Representative
to South Caucasus and Central Asia told the APA.

He said that there is no need to change the talks’ format and the
sides will come on agreement. The representative also stressed that
NATO does not take part in the solutions to Nagorno Garabagh conflict
and the organization will not directly interfere in the talks "We
are ready to help the conflict sides if necessary," he said.

Simmons touching upon the South Caucasian states’ integration into
NATO said that Georgia makes progress in this matter compared to
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

NIZAMI BEHMANOV: I DO NOT BELIEVE OSCE EXPERTS’ MONITORING RESULTS

Azeri Press Agency
Oct 12 2006

"I do not believe that the OSCE experts’ monitoring of the arsons
in occupied Azerbaijan territories will have any result. All events
concerning Nagorno Garabagh happened under observation of OSCE
since 1992. I have not seen their decisive position yet," Nizami
Behmenov, the chief of Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno Garabagh told
journalists, APA reports.

He said OSCE will not give any explanation even if the reports on
the arson results will be prepared and send to UNO.

"It will be ineffective. Azerbaijan has video materials about
happenings in occupied regions. Material concerning arson has
been presented to Minsk group. I do not think separatist Nagorno
Garabagh Republic will let OSCE experts enter those areas, because
the territories are under their control. There are terror bases in
occupied Azerbaijan territories," he said.

FRENCH BILL IGNORES TURKS, RECOGNISES ARMENIAN CLAIMS AS TRUTH

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 12 2006

* Turkey says ties with France dealt severe blow

Ahmet YONCA (JTW), ANKARA – Ignoring Turkish protests, the French
lower house of parliament approved a bill on Thursday making it a
crime to deny Armenian claims. Defending Turkish approach in France
will be crime if the bill becomes law. The French bill would recognize
the Armenian ‘genocide’ accusation and ignores the Turkish claims,
and rejecting the Armenian position would mean to risk up to a year
in prison and fines of up to $56,000.

"RELATIONS SEVERELY DAMAGED"

The French parliamentary has dealt Turkish-French ties a severe blow,
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. Turkey accuses France of
trying to keep Turkey outside of the EU by abusing the Armenian issue.

"French-Turkish relations, which have developed over centuries…

have been dealt a blow today as a result of the irresponsible false
claims of French politicians who do not see the political consequences
of their actions," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry did not say whether Turkey, which is seeking European
Union membership, would take any retaliatory measures against France,
a founder member of the EU.

EVERYBODY HAS TO ACCEPT ARMENIAN CLAIMS IN FRANCE
By Mehtap Duztutar

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 12 2006

~U The French parliament has unilateraly adopted a bill making it a
crime to reject the Armenian claims. There is no document prooving
Armenian claims

~U If the bill becomes law, no Turkish or French could defend the
Turkish approach in the Armenian Issue.

~U The bill carries up to one year of imprisonment and a 45,000 Euro
penalty for denying so-called Armenian genocide.

~U It passed by 106 votes to 19.

~U Ankara believes the issue is being used to whip up French sentiment
against Turkish entry into the EU.

FRENCH LOWER HOUSE APPROVES ARMENIA GENOCIDE BILL

Xinhua, China
Oct 12 2006

PARIS, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) — The French lower house of parliament on
Thursday adopted a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the
World War I massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks was genocide.

According to the legislation that was carried by 106 votes to 19,
anyone denying the genocide would be sentenced to one year in prison
and ordered to pay a 45,000-euro (56,570 U.S. dollars) fine.

To become law, the bill still needs the approval of both the upper
house Senate and the French president.

But Turkey has warned that the bill would damage ties between the two
countries, and threatened economic revenge against France if the bill
become law.

"If this draft law is approved, Turkey will lose nothing but France
will … lose Turkey," Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in
televised comments late on Wednesday.

Ankara denied it was to blame for the genocide of around 1.5 million
Armenians during the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire in World
War I, arguing that it was part of general fighting in which both
sides suffered.

Although the French government considered that it was up to historians
not parliament to judge the past, the ruling Union for a Popular
Movement (UMP) gave its lawmakers a free hand in the vote, which
ensured the passing of the bill.

Later in the day, the European Commission criticized the bill, saying
it could harm reconciliation efforts.