During a joint press conference with his Norwegian counterpart Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan reflected on regional issues, with the French National Assembly’s passing of the bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.
Turkey’s PM noted that the Armenian bill was expected to enter the French Senate on January 23. “Turkey will continue to impose its eight-point sanctions against France. In addition, there is a reaction against the bill from within France. Collaborating with these circles, we will explain to Sarkozy’s authorities that these problems must be solved by the assistance of historians,” Erdogan said, Turkish Dunyabulteni website informs.
In the Turkish PM’s words, the companies which have made investments in Turkey are concerned over this matter, too. “We will meet with French businessmen and remind the Senate about our sensitivity toward this problem. This is our shared problem. If the process continues, it could cause serious problems,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan added.
To note, the French National Assembly passed, on December 22, the bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides. But the bill still needs to be approved by the French Senate to become a law. The bill sets a one-year prison sentence plus a 45-thousand-Euro fine for anyone who denies genocides. And in reprisal to the passage of this bill, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Turkey’s eight-point sanctions against France. Also, Erdogan accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of “provoking Islamophobia” for election purposes, and accused France of committing genocide against the Algerians.
via Turkey will continue to impose its 8-point sanctions against France – Turkish PM | Armenia News – NEWS.am.