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Adoption of French "genocide" law caused by complexes – Turkish FM

Türkiye Materials 26 December 2011 02:12 (UTC +04:00)
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu reacted to adoption of a law by French Senate that penalizes denying of the so-called "Armenian genocide" saying that it is a complex before Turkey's rising power, TRT English reported.
Adoption of French "genocide" law caused by complexes – Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu reacted to adoption of a law by French Senate that penalizes denying of the so-called "Armenian genocide" saying that it is a complex before Turkey's rising power, TRT English reported.

Criticizing French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Davutoğlu said that the bill is not a matter of principle.

Davutoğlu, who attended a program on TRT-1 television, referred to President Sarkozy.

"If 5, 10 or 50 thousand Turks take to the streets and unfurl banners reading "We do not recognize this law" will you arrest them all? Passing this law has no humanitarian or principled aspect. It is totally utilitarianism and a complex before Turkey's rising power", Davutoğlu said.

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

A member of the French president's party, the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) which has the parliamentary majority, presented the bill to the legislative committee of the National Assembly earlier this month.

Some 45 out of 577 French MPs participated in the voting, 38 of which voted for, while 7 voted against the adoption of the bill.

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

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 to date has achieved recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" by the parliaments of some countries.

Davutoğlu also expressed clearly the attitude to be assumed by Turkey regarding the upcoming assuming of the EU term presidency by Greek Cypriots in July 2012.

"If a [conflict] settlement is reached by June 30, this is the ideal way. Turkey will be pleased to see a unified Cyprus and not the Southern Greek Cypriot sector as the EU term president and will have relations at the best level but if the President of such a Cyprus will be Greek Cypriot its Foreign Minister should be Turkish", Davutoğlu said.

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