NOW LEBANON
Jan 3 2012
Turkey’s ambassador will return to Paris, sources say
January 3, 2012
Turkey’s ambassador to Paris will soon return to France after he was
recalled as French lawmakers approved a bill criminalizing denial of
the Armenian genocide, Turkish diplomatic sources said Tuesday.
Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu, who was recalled to Turkey for
consultations on December 23, will resume his work in Paris to try to
prevent the French Senate from approving the bill, they said.
“I do not rule out [the possibility] that he is going back. He was
recalled for consultations and it was not expected that he would stay
in Turkey forever,” a diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Another diplomatic source said Burcuoglu planned to be back to Paris next week.
French lawmakers last month voted to jail and fine anyone in France
who denies that the 1915 killings of Armenians under the Ottoman
Empire amounted to genocide, prompting Turkey to suspend political and
military cooperation with Paris.
Turkey also threatened a new round of retaliations if the French
Senate passes the bill, a process which could take months.
In 1915 and 1916, Armenia says 1.5 million were killed in a genocide,
while Turkey argues that around 500,000 died in fighting after
Armenians sided with Russian invaders against the Ottoman Empire in
World War I.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon