ARMENIAN BILL: TURKISH PRESS, FRANCE CONTRACTS STOPPED SOON

ANSA Med
Jan 24 2012
Italy

Ambassadors also to be recalled, but after appeal

(ANSAmed) – ANKARA, JANUARY 24 – The Turkish press says that Ankara
is preparing to react to the French law on the Armenian genocide with
a number of retaliatory measures, including exclusion from public
contracts, appeals to international courts, a break in diplomatic
ties, and a ban on French use of air space and territorial waters
for military purposes.

The Turkish newspaper Haberturk, however, says that the measures will
only be applied if French senators reject the likely appeals to the
Constitutional Court in Paris.

In the meantime, the Posta newspaper says that Turkey is considering
excluding French firms from state and armed forces contracts, as well
limiting to an absolute minimum the economic ties between the two
countries. Miliyet lists other possible measures, suggesting appeals
to international courts, a fall in diplomatic ties to the lowest
possible level and the recall of the Turkish military official in
Paris and expulsion of his French counterpart in Ankara, as well as
a denial of the use of Turkish air space by French military aircraft
and a ban on French ships sailing in Turkish waters.

Official indications of Turkey’s reaction are expected in a speech to
be made this afternoon by the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
in front of his party’s parliamentary group. (ANSAmed).