SARKOZY IN BID TO MAKE UP FOR ARMENIA REMARKS THROUGH AIDE
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Oct 14 2011
French President Nicholas Sarkozy, who drew sharp criticism from
Turkey last week when he urged Turkey to recognize the 1915 massacre
of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide, has conveyed a message to
Turkey through his aide, who said Sarkozy’s remarks were misunderstood,
the Anatolia news agency reported on Friday.
Sarkozy’s aide, Jean David Levitte — known as France’s shadow
foreign minister — reportedly called Turkish Ambassador to Paris
Tahsin Burcuoglu and invited him to Elysee Palace. Citing diplomatic
sources, Anatolia said during the meeting that Levitte told Burcuoglu
that Sarkozy’s remarks were misunderstood in Turkey and that France
does not want to face off with Turkey on this issue. Levitte stressed
that France sees Turkey as a great country and that France attaches
importance to Turkish-French friendship.
During the meeting, Burcuoglu underscored Turkey’s sensitivity on the
issue of the World War I-era killings of Armenians and told Levitte
that another bill proposing punishment for anyone who denies the
“Armenian genocide” would seriously damage bilateral relations.
Sarkozy drew a strong negative reaction from Turkey when he said last
week on a short trip to Armenia that Turkey should recognize the 1915
incidents as genocide, threatening to pass a law in France that would
make denying this a crime. “The Armenian genocide is a historical
reality. Collective denial is even worse than individual denial,”
Sarkozy told reporters.
“Turkey, which is a great country, would honor itself to revisit its
history like other great countries in the world have done,” the French
president added. Turkey’s response to the French president was harsh,
with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying the French leader
should keep his advice to himself.
France has long been urging Turkey to acknowledge that the allegations
of genocide are true. Turkey, in turn, has proposed that a committee
of historians, not politicians, should decide what transpired in 1915.
The French Parliament recognized the so-called “Armenian genocide” in
2001, which resulted in short-lived tension between France and Turkey.
In 2006 the French National Assembly adopted a bill proposing
punishment for anyone who denies the “Armenian genocide.”
The bill was dropped this summer before coming to the Senate.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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