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PARIS-ANKARA: 'ZERO' RELATIONS
The Voice of Russia
Jan 24 2012
Diplomatic relations between France and Turkey are tending towards
zero. That's how Ankara has reacted to the French Senate's approval of
a bill that outlaws any public denial that the killings of Armenians
which took place in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 were genocide. Turkey
threatened to retaliate by introducing anti-French sanctions. The first
blow came from the Turkish National Radio and Television Corporation
which suspended cooperation with Euronews TV.
Earlier, Turkey recalled its ambassador from Paris, froze its
political, military and economic ties with France and cancelled joint
military exercises.
The bill imposes a punishment of up to one year in prison and a
45,000-euro fine on anyone who dares deny the Armenian genocide.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has two weeks to sign it into law.
Turkey has vigorously protested the accusations of mass killings of
Armenians during the First World War and reacted painfully to Western
criticism. Meanwhile, the fact of genocide has been recognized by more
than 20 countries, including Russia, Lithuania, Greece, Belgium, Canada
and the majority of U.S. states. But that recognition envisaged no
criminal penalties. Political analyst Stanislav Tarasov told the Voice
of Russia that the fate of the genocide bill in France is still pretty
vague and that 86 senators who voted against may attempt to block it:
"The Turks may try to play the French senator card. Senators can appeal
the bill in the Constitutional Court. This would require just 60%
of the votes. Turkey also fears that other countries may follow suit
and pass similar genocide laws, which would derail its long-cherished
hopes to join the European Union. Finally, Turkey and Armenia might
return to the Zurich protocols they signed in 2009. They contain
a very important provision, namely that Yerevan agrees to move the
genocide issue from big politics to the academic sphere."
Some politicians in Ankara and in European capitals think that the past
should be left in the past and that modern politics should be based
on modern realities. And yet, genocide is too sensitive an issue for
Armenia to be easily dropped. The Armenian government has already
thanked Paris for support. The votes of 600,000 French Armenians
whose representatives lobbied the new law will give President Sarkozy
a significant boost in his bid for re-election.
Analyst Alexander Sotnichenko believes that despite Ankara's tough
response, any dramatic consequences for either Turkey or Europe
are unlikely:
"Well, Turkey might not become a fully-fledged member of the European
Union, which, in my view, is on the whole a positive thing for Turkey,
the EU and Russia. The European Union is in a deep crisis and should
review its basic development concepts. Under the current circumstances,
Turkey with its dynamic growth is unlikely to benefit the EU as it
needs special adjustment programs."
Inside Turkey, increasingly fewer people associate themselves with
Europe. France's latest move might push Turkey to further distance
itself from the West and look more towards Russia and the East.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
The Voice of Russia
Jan 24 2012
Diplomatic relations between France and Turkey are tending towards
zero. That's how Ankara has reacted to the French Senate's approval of
a bill that outlaws any public denial that the killings of Armenians
which took place in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 were genocide. Turkey
threatened to retaliate by introducing anti-French sanctions. The first
blow came from the Turkish National Radio and Television Corporation
which suspended cooperation with Euronews TV.
Earlier, Turkey recalled its ambassador from Paris, froze its
political, military and economic ties with France and cancelled joint
military exercises.
The bill imposes a punishment of up to one year in prison and a
45,000-euro fine on anyone who dares deny the Armenian genocide.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has two weeks to sign it into law.
Turkey has vigorously protested the accusations of mass killings of
Armenians during the First World War and reacted painfully to Western
criticism. Meanwhile, the fact of genocide has been recognized by more
than 20 countries, including Russia, Lithuania, Greece, Belgium, Canada
and the majority of U.S. states. But that recognition envisaged no
criminal penalties. Political analyst Stanislav Tarasov told the Voice
of Russia that the fate of the genocide bill in France is still pretty
vague and that 86 senators who voted against may attempt to block it:
"The Turks may try to play the French senator card. Senators can appeal
the bill in the Constitutional Court. This would require just 60%
of the votes. Turkey also fears that other countries may follow suit
and pass similar genocide laws, which would derail its long-cherished
hopes to join the European Union. Finally, Turkey and Armenia might
return to the Zurich protocols they signed in 2009. They contain
a very important provision, namely that Yerevan agrees to move the
genocide issue from big politics to the academic sphere."
Some politicians in Ankara and in European capitals think that the past
should be left in the past and that modern politics should be based
on modern realities. And yet, genocide is too sensitive an issue for
Armenia to be easily dropped. The Armenian government has already
thanked Paris for support. The votes of 600,000 French Armenians
whose representatives lobbied the new law will give President Sarkozy
a significant boost in his bid for re-election.
Analyst Alexander Sotnichenko believes that despite Ankara's tough
response, any dramatic consequences for either Turkey or Europe
are unlikely:
"Well, Turkey might not become a fully-fledged member of the European
Union, which, in my view, is on the whole a positive thing for Turkey,
the EU and Russia. The European Union is in a deep crisis and should
review its basic development concepts. Under the current circumstances,
Turkey with its dynamic growth is unlikely to benefit the EU as it
needs special adjustment programs."
Inside Turkey, increasingly fewer people associate themselves with
Europe. France's latest move might push Turkey to further distance
itself from the West and look more towards Russia and the East.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress