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Latest update: 24/12/2011
- Armenia - France - genocide - law - Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Turkey
Turkey accuses France of 'genocide' over draft law
French lawmakers have passed a bill making it illegal to deny a genocide, including the Ottoman Turks' 1915 massacre of Armenians. Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded Friday by accusing France of committing genocide in Algeria in the 1940s.
By News Wires (text)
AFP - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused France of committing "genocide" in Algeria after French lawmakers voted a bill criminalising the denial of Armenian genocide.
"France massacred an estimated 15 percent of the Algerian population starting from 1945. This is genocide," Erdogan told a news conference after the French move on the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman-era forces.
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The Turkish premier accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of "fanning hatred of Muslims and Turks for electoral gains."
"If the French President Mr. Sarkozy does not know about this genocide, he can ask his father Pal Sarkozy... (who) had served in the French legion in Algeria in the 1940s," Erdogan said in his televised remarks.
"I am sure he has many things to tell his son about the French massacre in Algeria," Erdogan said.
France is home to around 500,000 citizens of Armenian descent and they are seen as a key source of support for Sarkozy and his UMP ahead of presidential and legislative elections in April and June next year.
On Thursday, France's National Assembly voted the first step towards passing a law that would impose a jail term and a 45,000 euro fine on anyone in France who denies that the 1915 massacre of Armenians constitutes genocide.
During World War I hundreds of thousands of Armenians died at the hands of Ottoman Turk forces. Armenia says 1.5 million died in a genocide, Turkey says around 500,000 died in fighting after they sided with a Russian invasion.
France's Foreign Minister Alain Juppe called on Turkey not to "overreact" to a bill that he insisted was a parliamentary initiative, and not a project of Sarkozy's government.
France has a 500,000-strong community of Armenian descent, many of whose forebears fled the killings a century ago, and French politicians assiduously court their votes every five years ahead of elections.
Turkey and many of Sarkozy's domestic opponents accuse him of jeopardising relations with a key NATO ally and trading partner to win Armenian votes.
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(24) Reactions
Génocide Turc
La Turquie islamiste accuse la France de génocide en Algérie, mais elle oublie ou feint d'oublier qu'elle était partie prenante des forces de l'OTAN de l'époque, d'une part, et qu'elle a aussi massacré des algériens pendant les 3 siècles d'enfer que nous avons vécu sous leur domination; honteux
french genocide in africa
this law is nothing more than a ploy by that midget who thinks he is boneparte to win over votes. The french ecenomy is in declining every day and the midget wants to have another term in the presedential palace, i mean how else would he be able to have a women like the one he has now. The french did comite genocide in algeria and rewanda, in antoher 100 years this will be know as a historical fact. The decline of western europe has begun and i think its just a matter of time before they will be on their knees and Germany will once again rule over france like they did during ww1 and ww2. the french have not been able to defeat any organised armed oposition as their army is only able to kill unarmed men women and childeren. Turkey is prospering and i for one propose the re-establisment of the khalifaat as it was during ww1. If you dont believe you can check the three major conflicts france had which they all lost( vietnam war, ww1 and ww2) long live turkey and may allah protect them and all the innocent people in this world.
Just a reason
This is so familier to the weapons they were looking for in Irak, was any found? So if Turkey sides with Iran or develops in all areas the west will have the reason of the so-called genacide to try and justify ther crimes.As they (the french)did in Turkey, Africa and etc. But this time it could be a lot worse.
Algerians reply
The head of the Algerian Society for Peace has praised Turkey's prime minister for his criticism of what Recep Tayyip Erdogan called French "genocide" in Algeria. Mr Erdogan was reacting to a vote in the French parliament "recognising" the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire. He told the French president that if he has forgotten what his country did in Algeria, he should "ask his father; he has the full story".
According to Abu Jarra Soltani of the Society for Peace, the French decision on Armenia was taken by just 50 members of the 550 seat parliament, "so it doesn't carry any validity". France is undergoing a period of electioneering "which will cost Sarkozy a lot when those who have suffered from the ravages of colonialism realise the importance of Erdogan's speech".
Turkey is an important country, stressed Soltani, and it's weight in the international community will embarrass France. "Sarkozy will pay for his recklessness," he said, "as France will have to acknowledge formally it's crimes in Algeria, apologise and pay compensation."
France should think twice about it's own crimes before criticising others, he added.
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Is all hype
The latest opinion poll puts Le pen on 20%. Sarko on 24% he is desperate to win some of the vast nos of far right supporters in France. hence Turkish bashing, a bit of anti Brit sentiment.
Algeria!!
Did you forget what you did in Algeria?
Yes, genocide.
It was yes, genocide from Turkey.
The problem is not that it was genocide, the problem is that Turkey deny it. Germany made cruel things and genocide during the WWII, but after that and even today you can hear every day about it in Germany. They don't deny it ' They are men'!
This is history now, Turkey should say, yes Turkey commited that - thats it ... and finnish.
Turkey is not a real democratic country if they can't even discuss about it in Turkey, and a non democratic country has not place in Europe. I know that France also killed people in Algeria, if that means a high numbers of people than France shouldnt it deny too, and I am also sure they will not...but again these all is history now every nation made its shit.
Genocide bill
Meet the newest terrorist group. They are called "Turkish Cyber Army". They attacked French Websites after the passing of the Armenian Genocide bill.
New French Law
France needs to understand that it is not in a position to criticize Turkey or any other nation in regards to human rights or genocide. France should stop acting arrogantly and look into its terrible record in the past but also currently. Yes, France did commit genocide, not only in Algeria but in all former colonies, and built its own wealth on their cost. France has always been very agressive and beligerent towards all countries. Furthermore, France is one of the most racist and ignorant countries in Europe that needs to get its own act together. If France is so concenrned about human rights then France should stop discriminating again Algerian immigrants and start treating them as its own people that is something France owes to Algeria and Algerians as a minimum after its horrible acts in the history.
Mr Sarkozy is a racist and people like him are the main reason for the hate and resistance towards immigrants in France. Politicians like Mr Sarkozy who use anything possible to their own advantage and for their political gain need to know that there is no future for them In Europe. Mr Sarkozy can do whatever he wants but he will lose the elections anyways for ruining France's and Europe's economy and finance system.
Oirvoir Mr Sarkozy.
Armenian Genocide
All the world leading countries know the real history. As long they will keep their historical archives locked, Turkey will deny it. You all know that Turks started their settlement in Asia Minor in 12 century keeling and burning all the people that they were living on that geographical place within many centuries. The real Genocide of Armenians started from Sultan Hamid. Turkey keeps telling that it was WWI and civil war, but you all know that it’s wrong. Armenians had no regular military army, Turkey had regular army and was on the side with the Germany to divide the world. And keeling children, women and elders they try to cover under WWI and civil war. My grandparents survived the genocide, because the Turk villagers could hide them in their basement and later they help them to escape. Now that they are blockaded our country more than 20 years forcing us to forget our history and forget that Karabakh conflict started from the Armenians' mass killings in SUMGAIT-1988. It's impossible.
Thank you France, you are the only nation on earth that we can trust.