06 05 08 - TURKISH PRESSURES ON THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT

may 8,2006
from France, by Jean Eckian (www.inhomage.com)

After the various negationnists demonstrations orchestrated by Ankara (Lausanne, Berlin, Lyon, New York...), and the threats of commercial
boycott against Canada, because its Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, recognized the Armenian Genocide officially, the Turkish government recalled its ambassador to Canada "for consultations", according to
"the Gazette" daily newspaper of Montreal " of the Friday May 5. Ankara must now deal, with the French bill proposal penalizing the negation of this Genocide which will be submitted to the French
Parliament on May 18.

"Call to our French Friends"

In its edition of Friday May 5, the French newspapers « Le Parisian » « le Monde » and « Le Figaro » published a full page advertisement
financed by various Turkish organizations, entitled "Call to our French Friends". This text wants to sensitize the people of France to the efforts made by the Turkish government which, according to him, "is not with the law to write History". He calls upon, in substance, "the proposal to entrust to the historians research concerned their
sphere of activity and responsibility, in particular with the creation of a joint commission". The text adds [... ] "while being committed in advance accepting the conclusions of its work. Turkey being ready to confront each sequence of its past ".

E-mail to the French deputies

The same day, a message was sent to all the deputies, whose tonality is litigious since it refers to the "European Convention of the human rights", stipulating (art 10.1)"Any person has right to the freedom of expression. This right includes the freedom of thought and freedom to receive or communicate information or ideas without there being able to be interference of the public authorities and without consideration of border." In addition, this mail indicates that: "the authors of this project (law penalizing the negation of the Armenian Genocide) must be with the current which the freedom of expression is the essential base of any democratic company and one of the paramount conditions of its progress and its blooming." . The text quotes several judgements of jurisprudence aiming has to credit the assertions of author, for finally influencing the French deputies in their decision. Let us recall that Turkey did not delete its article 301 condemning the people who would evoke that a "so called genocide" is passed during the First World War.

Wednesday May 3, Ankara warned Paris of a risk of degradation of the bilateral relations and of the "irrevocable" consequences if the French Parliament voted on this proposed law.

V.V