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FRANCE HAS 'NO CONFIRMATION' FROM TURKEY OF SUSPENSION OF TALKS WITH GDF
AFX International Focus
April 5, 2007 Thursday 1:22 PM GMT
PARIS (AFX) - The French foreign ministry said it has received 'no
confirmation' from Turkey of the suspension of talks with Gaz de
France over the Nabucco pipeline project.
A spokesman for the ministry said 'We have received no confirmation
to this effect from the Turkish authorities,' adding that the French
government had only learnt of the matter from press reports this
morning.
Earlier today, the Anatolie press agency reported that Turkey had
halted talks with Gaz de France in reaction to a French bill on the
mass killings of Armenians during Ottoman rule.
Contacted by the French press agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP),
a spokesman for GDF refused to comment on the claims.
AFP also contacted Botas, the Turkish state-owned oil and gas group
which is one of partners in the Nabucco consortium, but the company
declined to comment.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 mln people perished in systematic
deportations and killings between 1915 and 1917 under the Ottoman
Empire, modern Turkey's predecessor.
Turkey categorically denies claims of genocide and says thousands of
Turks and Armenians were killed in civil strife when Armenians took
up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with Russian
troops invading the crumbling empire.
AFX International Focus
April 5, 2007 Thursday 1:22 PM GMT
PARIS (AFX) - The French foreign ministry said it has received 'no
confirmation' from Turkey of the suspension of talks with Gaz de
France over the Nabucco pipeline project.
A spokesman for the ministry said 'We have received no confirmation
to this effect from the Turkish authorities,' adding that the French
government had only learnt of the matter from press reports this
morning.
Earlier today, the Anatolie press agency reported that Turkey had
halted talks with Gaz de France in reaction to a French bill on the
mass killings of Armenians during Ottoman rule.
Contacted by the French press agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP),
a spokesman for GDF refused to comment on the claims.
AFP also contacted Botas, the Turkish state-owned oil and gas group
which is one of partners in the Nabucco consortium, but the company
declined to comment.
Armenians claim up to 1.5 mln people perished in systematic
deportations and killings between 1915 and 1917 under the Ottoman
Empire, modern Turkey's predecessor.
Turkey categorically denies claims of genocide and says thousands of
Turks and Armenians were killed in civil strife when Armenians took
up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and sided with Russian
troops invading the crumbling empire.