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Adviser to PM: Turkey will properly respond to France

Türkiye Materials 22 December 2011 18:18 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.22 / Trend, A. Taghiyeva /

Following the adoption of a bill criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the French Parliament Ankara will properly respond to Paris, Adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Geybulla Ramazan told Trend over telephone on Thursday.

"Turkey will take appropriate measures, and most of these steps will be in the economic sphere," he said.

Ramazan said the Turkish government should consider providing the world community with sufficient evidence so that the Armenian lobby did not use the issue of so-called "Armenian genocide" each time.

On Thursday, the French parliament adopted a bill criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian Genocide".

The bill envisages about one year imprisonment and a fine worth 45,000 euros for denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Earlier, Turkish President Abdullah Gul stated that Turkey hopes that France will not sacrifice long-term friendship between Ankara and Paris for the sake of petty political settlements.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkish-French relations should not depend on third party's demands, and if the French Senate approves the bill Turkey will respond with all diplomatic means.

It is expected that after adoption of the bill Turkey will break the diplomatic and economic relations with Paris.

Ramazan said this move by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy aimed at enlisting voters' support is a serious mistake.

"No competent politician would make such a mistake," he said.

MPs from the French President's "Union for Popular Movement" (UMP) party which has the parliamentary majority, proposed a bill which aims at criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" to the legislative committee of the National Assembly in early December.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey - Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the Armenians living in Anadolu, and achieved recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" by the parliaments of some countries.

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