This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-16306376

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Turkey retaliates over French 'genocide' bill Turkey retaliates over French 'genocide' bill
(about 2 hours later)
The Turkish prime minister has announced measures against France after MPs passed a bill criminalising denial of the 1915-16 Armenian "genocide".The Turkish prime minister has announced measures against France after MPs passed a bill criminalising denial of the 1915-16 Armenian "genocide".
Ankara is recalling its ambassador and freezing political visits as well as joint military projects, including exercises, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.Ankara is recalling its ambassador and freezing political visits as well as joint military projects, including exercises, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
The bill was passed by the French National Assembly on Thursday and is due to go before the Senate next year.The bill was passed by the French National Assembly on Thursday and is due to go before the Senate next year.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has publicly opposed it.French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has publicly opposed it.
Under the bill, those publicly denying genocide would face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£29,000; $58,000).Under the bill, those publicly denying genocide would face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£29,000; $58,000).
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-16.
Ankara says closer to 300,000 people died, and that Turks were also killed as Armenians rose up against the Ottoman Empire when Russian troops invaded eastern Anatolia, now eastern Turkey.
The Armenia vote has provoked large amounts of sound and fury, but will this bill become law? For the time being the answer is quite clearly No.The Armenia vote has provoked large amounts of sound and fury, but will this bill become law? For the time being the answer is quite clearly No.
The bill is the work of a collection of private members who have large numbers of Armenians in their constituencies, and has the tacit backing of President Sarkozy who on a recent visit to Armenia hinted that France should legislate to make genocide denial illegal.The bill is the work of a collection of private members who have large numbers of Armenians in their constituencies, and has the tacit backing of President Sarkozy who on a recent visit to Armenia hinted that France should legislate to make genocide denial illegal.
But everyone else in the French government thinks the bill is a diplomatic train wreck. They most emphatically do not want it to pass.But everyone else in the French government thinks the bill is a diplomatic train wreck. They most emphatically do not want it to pass.
The bill will start out on a long procedural ramble through the Senate and back again to the Assembly; and then pshut! The lower house is dissolved in February, and it is back to square one.The bill will start out on a long procedural ramble through the Senate and back again to the Assembly; and then pshut! The lower house is dissolved in February, and it is back to square one.
So why all the fuss?So why all the fuss?
For electoral reasons it suits the bill's backers to make as much noise as possible, even if they know it has no chance of passing.For electoral reasons it suits the bill's backers to make as much noise as possible, even if they know it has no chance of passing.
The Turks weren't going to take that lying down. And then ministers had to get involved in defence of French interests.The Turks weren't going to take that lying down. And then ministers had to get involved in defence of French interests.
It has all indeed been a diplomatic disaster - all for a piece of law that will probably never even make it onto the statute books.It has all indeed been a diplomatic disaster - all for a piece of law that will probably never even make it onto the statute books.
Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-16.
Ankara says closer to 300,000 people died, and that Turks were also killed as Armenians rose up against the Ottoman Empire when Russian troops invaded eastern Anatolia, now eastern Turkey.
More than 20 countries have formally recognised the killings as genocide.More than 20 countries have formally recognised the killings as genocide.
'Irreparable wounds''Irreparable wounds'
According to French news agency AFP, angry crowds in the Turkish capital, Ankara, have been chanting: "We have not committed genocide, we defended the homeland.According to French news agency AFP, angry crowds in the Turkish capital, Ankara, have been chanting: "We have not committed genocide, we defended the homeland.
"Wait for us France, we will come.""Wait for us France, we will come."
Speaking in Ankara, Mr Erdogan suggested the bill would create lasting damage to relations with France.Speaking in Ankara, Mr Erdogan suggested the bill would create lasting damage to relations with France.
"This will open very grave and irreparable wounds," he said."This will open very grave and irreparable wounds," he said.
Mr Erdogan told reporters: "This is politics based on racism, discrimination and xenophobia.Mr Erdogan told reporters: "This is politics based on racism, discrimination and xenophobia.
"This is using Turkophobia and Islamophobia to gain votes, and it raises concerns regarding these issues not only in France but all Europe.""This is using Turkophobia and Islamophobia to gain votes, and it raises concerns regarding these issues not only in France but all Europe."
He said Ankara would cancel permission for French military planes to land and warships to dock in Turkey as a result of the bill, Reuters news agency reports.He said Ankara would cancel permission for French military planes to land and warships to dock in Turkey as a result of the bill, Reuters news agency reports.
Relations between the two countries are at an all-time low thanks to French President Nicholas Sarkozy's opposition to Turkey's bid for membership of the EU, the BBC's David O'Byrne reports from Istanbul.Relations between the two countries are at an all-time low thanks to French President Nicholas Sarkozy's opposition to Turkey's bid for membership of the EU, the BBC's David O'Byrne reports from Istanbul.
'Inspired by European law''Inspired by European law'
The bill's author, Valerie Boyer from France's ruling conservative UMP party, said she was "shocked" at Turkey's intervention.The bill's author, Valerie Boyer from France's ruling conservative UMP party, said she was "shocked" at Turkey's intervention.
"My bill doesn't aim at any particular country," she said."My bill doesn't aim at any particular country," she said.
"It is inspired by European law, which says that the people who deny the existence of the genocides must be sanctioned.""It is inspired by European law, which says that the people who deny the existence of the genocides must be sanctioned."
Maurice Delighazarian, 75, lost his grandparents in 1915.Maurice Delighazarian, 75, lost his grandparents in 1915.
"Our ancestors can finally rest in peace," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency in Paris."Our ancestors can finally rest in peace," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency in Paris.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian thanked the French parliament, and France's "top leadership" and its people, for the bill.Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian thanked the French parliament, and France's "top leadership" and its people, for the bill.
France had, he said, "once again proved its commitment to universal human values".France had, he said, "once again proved its commitment to universal human values".
But Mr Juppe criticised the proposed law, which follows France's formal recognition of the killings as genocide in 2001. No penalty was attached for denial at the time.But Mr Juppe criticised the proposed law, which follows France's formal recognition of the killings as genocide in 2001. No penalty was attached for denial at the time.
Mr Juppe told reporters it was a critical juncture in the Middle East and he emphasised the role Turkey had been playing in the Arab Spring, as well as the strong economic ties that existed between Turkey and France.Mr Juppe told reporters it was a critical juncture in the Middle East and he emphasised the role Turkey had been playing in the Arab Spring, as well as the strong economic ties that existed between Turkey and France.
"It [the bill] is useless and counter-productive," he said."It [the bill] is useless and counter-productive," he said.
His disapproval appears to be in direct conflict with the tacit support that has been given by President Nicolas Sarkozy to the bill, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Paris.His disapproval appears to be in direct conflict with the tacit support that has been given by President Nicolas Sarkozy to the bill, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Paris.
There are some half a million ethnic Armenians living in France and their vote is considered important in next year's presidential election, our correspondent notes.There are some half a million ethnic Armenians living in France and their vote is considered important in next year's presidential election, our correspondent notes.