Turkey Froze Military Relations with France over Genocide Bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has frozen military relations with France, reports CNN-Turk with a reference to the Commander of the Turkish land forces. At a reception dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of proclamation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Army General Ilker Bashbug said that military visits at the high level between Turkey and France have also been cancelled. The decision of the Turkish Defense Ministry is a response to the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial adopted by the French National Assembly in October. The bill which rates negation of the Genocide perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1917 as a crime aroused extremely sharp reaction of Ankara. Turkish officials threatened Paris with sanctions. Turkish businessmen threatened with boycott of French goods. The commodity circulation between the two states makes about $10 billion.



To come into force the law should be approved by the Senate and then signed by the President. The European Commission has already subjected the bill to criticism and said the document 'undermines friendly relations.' "If the law is passed it can complicate the dialogue essential for coordination of positions of the European Union and Turkey," a European Commission member said, reports RIA Novosti.