ERDOGAN SPEAKS AGAINST RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND ISLAMOPHOBIA IN EUROPE
Anadolu Agency
Feb 1 2012
Turkey
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey
would not remain silent towards racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia
which was insidiously escalating in Europe.
The current scene in France is the manifestation of this stealthy
danger in Europe, added Erdogan who spoke at his Justice & Development
(AK) Party meeting in Ankara on Wednesday.
Recently, French Senate adopted a law which penalizes the denial of
Armenian allegations regarding 1915 incidents during Ottoman Empire
period. Under the law, people, who deny the Armenian allegations,
are sentenced to one year in prison and 45,000 euro fine. On Tuesday,
77 senators and 65 parliamentarians in France applied to French
Constitutional Council for the annulment of the law. The Council will
announce its decision within a month.
Erdogan thanked those senators and parliamentarians, and said that
they launched an important initiative to prevent a historic mistake.
He noted that this racist and separatist law, which limited freedom
of thought and expression, would harm both Turkish-French relations
and France’s own values.
Erdogan expressed belief that the French Council would act with common
sense and make a decision which would not be against the values of
France and the European Union.
Everybody admitted that this initiative in France is not for clarifying
1915 incidents, said Erdogan, adding that French President Nicolas
Sarkozy was trying to gain advantage ahead of the upcoming elections
in his country.
There is a racist approach and mentality under this law, said Erdogan,
adding that Turkey would not remain silent towards the rising racism,
xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe.
Erdogan said that seeing this danger and taking measures against it
should be on the top of the agenda of the European Union.
From: Baghdasarian