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Turkey Recalls Ambassador, Announces Sanctions

ANKARA, Turkey (A.W.)—Official Ankara announced this week that it has recalled its ambassador to France. The Turkish government’s decision came on the heels of the French Parliament vote to criminalize Armenian Genocide denial.

Erdogan during his speech.

According to Turkish State Television (TRT), Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu will return to Ankara.

Ankara also announced sanctions on France. “As of now, we are canceling bilateral level political, economic, and military activities,” said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Zaman. “We are suspending all kinds of political consultations with France” and “bilateral military cooperation, joint maneuvers are canceled as of now.”

On Dec. 22, the French Parliament approved a bill criminalizing the denial of the genocide and rendering it punishable with a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000).

A special delegation of Turkish officials had arrived in Paris on Dec. 19 to prevent the bill from passing. More than 2,000 Turks demonstrated against the bill outside the French Parliament building. Several proposed amendments aimed at diluting the bill were voted down.

The French Senate is expected to vote on the bill in March 2012.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had likened the move as one from the Middle Ages. “If this proposal is legislated, France will pioneer the return of the Middle Ages mindset to Europe,” Anatolia News Agency quoted him as saying. The law would “create a new dogma about understanding history, to forbid alternative thoughts. This is the mentality of the Middle Ages. The adoption of this mindset in France is the greatest danger to Europe.”

Addressing his government officials, Davutoglu said it would be “out of the question to leave unanswered an attempt by any country leader, government, or parliament to dishonor our country and nation.”

34 Comments (Open | Close)

34 Comments To "Turkey Recalls Ambassador, Announces Sanctions"

#1 Comment By Alex On December 22, 2011 @ 11:40 am

hahahahahahahahahaha.
 
Americans don’t consider it a “dishonor to our nation” when somebody brings up the genocide of the Aboriginals. On the contrary, they consider insulting whenever a fellow American tries to deny this intentional campaign of extermination.
 
Real lack of maturity on display here.

#2 Comment By Stephen On December 22, 2011 @ 1:56 pm

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had likened the move as one from the Middle Ages. “If this proposal is legislated, France will pioneer the return of the Middle Ages mindset to Europe,” Anatolia News Agency quoted him as saying. The law would “create a new dogma about understanding history, to forbid alternative thoughts. This is the mentality of the Middle Ages. The adoption of this mindset in France is the greatest danger to Europe.”
 
Is this guy joking? What are they doing to journalists in Turkey for expressing their free thoughts?

#3 Comment By Murat On December 23, 2011 @ 12:14 am

Well, Turkey is not exactly the world champion of freedom of expression but it seems France has managed lower itslef even more.  Congrats.  Also as expected the hysterics from the Turkish estabishement.

#4 Comment By Arto On December 23, 2011 @ 3:42 am

This vote was the result of Turkey “jerking around” the Europeans and Americans with the delay in signing the Protocols. The West had a lot of domestic vested interest in getting the Protools signed. The Turks will now pay a heavy price and all of you will who were badmouthing the Armenian government and hanging the Presidents effigy will now understand that the RA played the Protocol issue perfectly. Checkmate!

#5 Comment By hairo On December 23, 2011 @ 3:45 am

To those who suggest that passing of this resolution will restrict people, including the historians from freely discussing the Armenian genocide in France, please allow me to remind them that Turkey has a similar law on their books where the historians cannot freely conclude that there was an Armenian Genocide.
With the current laws in Turkey, discussing the Armenian Genocide there will result in the same conclusion as in Iran several years ago when Mahmoud Ahmadijinad organized a symposium discussing the Jewish Holocaust. If you recall the “expert” historians in Iran concluded that the Jewish holocaust did not happen. But of course we know better.

#6 Comment By Sylva-MD-Poetry On December 23, 2011 @ 5:39 am

We should have a site on AW for hidden Armenians…
To express themselves freely…
Also those who know they have some Armenian blood from their grandparents…
“Page called “The Hidden Armenians”
Those who lost identity
They are ‘orphans of identity’
which is worse than orphans
their psychology is damaged
they don’t know what to say
how to change
how to go back to their origin…
We should help them to relieve their hidden tension…
One of them is their president Gul…
who has Armenian mother not even grandmother 
written every site…and married his cousin from mother’s site…
So you can tell how many of them they are …

Sylva
 

#7 Comment By Kerim On December 23, 2011 @ 2:20 pm

Yes, the Armenian Genocide did happen. But France is the last country on Earth (after the US) to have the face to criticize another nation for a genocide. The French committed Genocides in Algeria, and other countries. When are they going to make it illegal to deny those in France?
Hypocrasy!

#8 Comment By sylva-MD-Poetry On December 23, 2011 @ 2:56 pm

Mr Kareem…Written your name in Quran 
France did not rape, did not kill children…did not open pregnant wombs by scimitars,
did not burn families in mosques…
P. Gul’s mother is Armenian …He is denialist…His father-in-law said it


I don’t know
Why some souls are here
To teach Us what…? 
If it was not genocide
Tell me
It was what…!?!? 

It was a dance
Opening the mother’s womb
To do C-Section by scimitars
Enjoying seeing
Stillborns
 
It was a dance and play
To hurl innocents in the rivers
In hays, burning the churches where families gathered in 
Throwing small children in front of their mothers eyes in the fires 
To sear mothers hearts…

Bedouins saw them with their eyes…
Still narrating to their offsprings
They know very well it was genocide

It was a cabaret 
Enjoying rapes with virgin girls and killing them later…
Even Pakistani soldiers in March 25, 1971
Could not do that…they raped and left without killing… 

It was a dance 
To cut scholars heads with the scimitars 
And playing with their secret organs …

It was music to hear their cries …
Their prayers … their chants
 
God lost his brain to hear all 
God went mad 
But devils still singing 
There was no genocide …!
 
I no longer believe there is humanity 
Now I think how the Armenians 
Still living with such criminal race 
Still denying what they did…
 
I wish I can enter in your astrocytes 
And understand
Who made their genes …
 
My God help me if you’re still above 
Help those who doesn’t understand
The psychology of orphans…
 
We don’t hate them
But we want to know what they did 
This is not denials only 
This is another crime against humanity…
Shame on you all awake … You have No heart … No god 
SP
December 23, 2011
Forwarded all sites in the net France 24, Zaman…etc 

 

#9 Comment By Stepan On December 23, 2011 @ 3:33 pm

 For a moment, let’s put the debate on freedom of speech and the impact to the internal election in France on hold. The real value of this incredible event is the debate that it enables in Turkish society. The Turkish media is filled with news reports and editorial columns on this issues. Many are traditional denial based rhetoric, but a surprising number are challenging the Turkish government on its hypocrisy and encouraging the nation to face 1915. Real progress in our cause is taking place within Turkey…. academics, journalists, politicians, common people questioning the long standing lie about the genocide.
         The Turks are crafty politicians. They will admit to the genocide when it is in their interests. The beans are spilled on Dersim( for obvious political reasons, but then again isn’t everything? ) . What’s next? We are living in extraordinary times. It is our responsibilities to stay the course, perhaps a few modest course corrections, but stay the course. Never compromise on the truth and we will be rewarded. Protect our children from the ravages of assimilation. Connect the diaspora with Armenia!
         The Turks are looking for the opening. Slowly the truth becomes their reality. They have fed their people the Dersim lie and actually implicated Ataturk and his government. yes , for political reasons, but who would have expected a public criticism of the man whose picture is everywhere in Turkey, yet is viewed as the one who finished what the Ittihads started. Taboos broken…. are progress for our people.Show selective patience… not to be confused with satisfaction.
       Conventional wisdom(which the Ottoman and the Kemalist subscribe to) was that whatever they didn’t kill in the genocide would assimilate into a marginal force within a few generation. That logic has not prevailed. Today the Armenian 3-4 generation later are strong and politically capable. oh, they also were not counting on a free Armenia. They tried to kill that too , but the heroes of Sardarabad had other ideas.  Our investment in churches , schools, youth groups and clubs have been wise. Assimilation is our only possible achiilles. Losing our faith and heritage. Take it very personally every time you sit at the dinner table. God Bless the Armenian people.

#10 Comment By Kerim On December 23, 2011 @ 3:49 pm

Sylva, actually French did those things too. You don’t have to diminish their crimes so as to make the Turkish crimes look extra evil.

By the way, France did not do this recognition thing out of their love of justice or even Armenia. They are simply trying to confront Turkey and negatively impact its regional power (by fanning the Turkish-Armenian tensions). Turkey has been ascendent in terms of regional clout in Middle East, which France considers its own sphere of influence as well. So they are trying to undermine Turkey. One thing is for sure: It would not be in France’s interests for Armenia and Turkey to become friends, because that would only increase Turkey’s regional weight.

#11 Comment By Martin On December 23, 2011 @ 4:43 pm

“The law would “create a new dogma about understanding history, to forbid alternative thoughts. This is the mentality of the Middle Ages…”

To have the audacity to make such a hypocritical statement is beyond my understanding…cause clearly of all places in the world, Turkey is a nation and society wherein alternative thoughts and histories are openly discussed, and where freedom of expression thrives so vehemently that we should all look to it as an example.

#12 Comment By Boyajian On December 23, 2011 @ 5:26 pm

Does Davutoglu really think anyone believes this posturing?  Does any nation look to Turkey as an example of freedom of speech at work among a free and equal citizenry?

 

#13 Comment By Robert On December 24, 2011 @ 6:09 pm

Sylva, MD,

Your statements regarding the Algerian genocide by the French above is incorrect. Being an MD, you are also a scientist…one who checks facts and results to make sure that the same results may be obtained by all! Unfortunately, you have made overt, purposeful misstatements about what the French did, in your zeal to bash Turks even more! This goes totally against the creed of the definition of being a scientist and thus, is tantamount to being nothing more than a forger or fabricator! The result is that you have just sacrificed your credibility…forever! Now, anything that you post will have to be scrutinized to make sure that you didn’t “make things up”! Was it worth it Sylva? Why would someone of your stature and intellect do such a thing? If a lower person had done this, no one would have given it a second thought, but you are held at and to a higher level/standard of achievement (I should know since I’m also an MD). I used to enjoy your literary prose. Now, because of what you’ve purposely done, I now see them in a totally different light. You’ve just defined yourself. Sad indeed!

#14 Comment By Dee On December 24, 2011 @ 6:55 pm

More threats from Turkey, huh?

Here’s the thing, and what few people, including Armenians, understand:

It is possible to retaliate against these Turkish actions. Turkey is not the most powerful country in the world. If Turkey announces actions against France, certainly France can do the same against Turkey. This never occurs to people. They think that only Turkey can make threats and impose sanctions. I don’t know where people got this idea but it just goes to show how specially gifted people think Turkey is.

Except Israel, the only country that has had the guts to stand up to Turkey. Israel had had enough of Turkish insults and provocations. In retaliation, it shot 9 Turks dead on the Gaza flotilla. That is how it’s done. And all Turkey could do was complain and threaten and blow smoke.

Europe does not have the guts to stand up to Turkey in such ways. Like a bunch of sissies, it just sits there and does nothing. This is why people speal of the decline of the West, with Europe being first. They have turned into sissies.

#15 Comment By ory On December 27, 2011 @ 7:05 am

TO DEE
I think it is unwise to pound the your chest because Israel Shot and killed Turkish citizens, so you think it ok for one country to kill the citizen of another the claim victory because Turkey Has not retaliated , if it wasn’t for the fact, the USA get involved every time Israel seems to be in trouble ,I’am sure that the out come would have been a little different.
So in conclusion STOP CALLING OTHER COUNTRY”S SISSY”S WHILE STANDING UNDER SOMEONE SKIRT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

#16 Comment By Arshag On December 24, 2011 @ 7:16 pm

The law is not unprecedented. Switzerland had the law already in place and punished a Turkish citizen who thought he could go around unpunished with denialist, insulting statements. Similar laws are being considered also in other countries, such as the Netherlands. Actually, the law is meant to prevent denial which is intended knowingly to belittle the horror and to insult the descendants of the crime and thus is considered discriminatory to a group of people.
True, the French killed Algerians, and almost all countries have blood on their hands one way or other. But, that does not fall under the definition of “Genocide” as laid down in UN Charter. You cannot call any massacre of poeple a genocide. Even war crimes of large scale is not considered genocide. Genocide is the most heavy crime that humans can do against other humans and it is an established fact that the Ottoman Turkey committed that crime. It is high time Turkey stopped hiding his head in the sand and just like in the case of the Dersim Alevi’s, offered an apology to Armenians.

#17 Comment By Necati Genis On December 24, 2011 @ 8:18 pm

“P. Gul’s mother is Armenian”

Sylvia, how can you prove this ?

Is there any more Armenian or relative of an Armenian among the members of the Turkish National Assembly ?

#18 Comment By sylva-md-Poetry On December 25, 2011 @ 2:38 am

Dear invaders on this site
Are you accusing me about something
I never wrote about … Alger or Spain
Are you dreaming to Insult me on Christmas day…!
For nothing I wrote about
I did not write about other massacres
Although I know more than any one else on this site
I have Algerian friends
French did not vanish their mosques
Algers became educated
They suffered but learned Democracy as my friend says …
She is a writer is free to express her opinion in French journals
They don’t put her in jail like Turks continue you to do for their journalist
French did not kill famous Jamila Bu Haird
She died of old age just last year
We knew about her when we were school girls…
We use to write articles about her braveness
We always wanted to be like her
I know her face like i know my sister.

New Ottoman’s gunned Hrant Dink
It was just few years ago
In a civilized place called Istanbul Bay
Which belongs to to Aya sofia
And they are proud to show on T.V
Something they never paid penny
Or use their hands to build
But confiscated and proud to show to every one
Gaining $12 from each visitor …

When Arabs visit the Cathedral
They tell me it was Christian Place
We saw all the paintings
They are amazed but never proud to be an islamic place…
They tell me on my face …
How Turks able to get it
They know about our genocide
more than any one else

Have you heard any Arab Muslim
Vanishing a Church in Arab countries
Or confiscating and changing to be a mosque
You did not learn this from Arab’s Qur’ran
You have another Seljuk Holly Book that you apply
That exists in your genes
No race has written yet.

Sylva-MD-Poetry
Written instantly with rage

#19 Comment By Sylva-MD-Poetry On December 25, 2011 @ 3:27 am

I wrote Jamila bu Haird but french write Djamila Bouhired
please read about her …She was very brave lady and we all are proud she fought the french … She married later a french lawyer…
But now the Algerians are kiling Algerians …Can you count how many died
since the war.
The war continued because educated Algerians were with French government not against…

Djamila Bouhired (Arabic: جميلة بوحيرد‎, born 1935) is an Algerian revolutionary.
Bouhired is a nationalist[2] who opposed French colonial rule of Algeria. Djamila Bouhired was raised in a middle-class family, she went to a French school and joined the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) while a student activist. Later, she worked as a liaison officer and personal assistant of FLN commander Yacef Saadi in Algiers. She was considered valuable to the FLN because she looked European and could easily infiltrate places where French soldiers hung out.
In April 1957, during the hunt for Yacef, she was wounded in a shootout between Yacef and French troops and taken by French troops. When a French patrol stopped them, Yacef, who was disguised as a woman, drew a sub-machine gun and shot her in the back, so that she couldn’t reveal information about him, but he only wounded her. [6] She was tortured with electricity and then sentenced to death.[3] Her execution was stopped after a media campaign by her French lawyer, Jacques Vergès. She was released in 1962 and was regarded as a hero in Algeria.
Bouhired and Vergès eventually married, and worked together on Révolution africaine, an Algerian magazine written in French focusing on African nationalist revolutions. She was one of the trio of FLN female bombers depicted in the 1966 film The Battle of Algiers. She was also depicted in the film Jamila the Algerian (1958) by Egyptian director Youssef Chahine. ref: Wikipedia

Interview, Djamila Bouhired

#20 Comment By Necati Genis On December 25, 2011 @ 5:18 am

sylvia,

if you can not prove Mr. Gul’s mother is an armenian, you will be called ” lier” trying to insult the president of Turkey.

#21 Comment By G Bell On January 6, 2012 @ 9:12 pm

Are you sure it is an insult? Perhaps it would be a redemption instead.

#22 Comment By Hagop On December 25, 2011 @ 6:55 am

Necati, of course calling someone Armenian would be an insult in racist Turkey! Please read about the comments made by racist Turkish politician Canan Aritman during an apology campaign a few years ago when she said Abdullah Gül should “investigate his roots,” suggesting that he had Armenian ancestry — in a clear effort to insult/hurt him in public. Gül responded by trying his best to prove that he wasn’t “tainted” with Armenian blood. It was an embarrassing affair and was covered in the Turkish press, so you should have no trouble finding some archived articles via a Google search.

#23 Comment By ory On December 25, 2011 @ 5:46 pm

racism exists all around the world ,like it or not ,the thing that bothers me is you attempt to convince your self and others that you are an expert in identifying racism,I suggest if you want to confront the true face of racism look in the mirror and tell your self quietly to wake up !!!! because any person that is willing to put a country full of many different nationalities and religions into this category has not really looked at the bigger picture , and you may ask your self what is the bigger picture ?
Its you and others like you that do not stop and think just once ,that maybe it is better not to support a movement that is motivated by greed on the back of stories told by old ladies to brain wash the young of the past so they can attempt to poison the present, SHAME ON YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#24 Comment By ory On December 25, 2011 @ 7:00 am

Reply
sylva-md-Poetry
To you any difference of opinion is an invasion ,you think just because you can ryhm words in your head and then put them to print you expect people to bow down and believe you (are you a GOD) , people like you only exist to incite people to be aggressive.

#25 Comment By john the turk On December 25, 2011 @ 3:49 pm

Hagop

First of all, I do not care about the ancestors of Mr Gul if they were Armenians or Indians as long as he serves the country, it is fine. But I didn’t understand exactly what you mean in your above statement. Do you mean that someone claimed that he has the Armenian heritage makes him automatically Armenian even though Mr Gul claims otherwise? Is this how you present your facts in the Armenian Planet? I am not actually interested to talk about Mr Gul and his ancestors but I am interested to know how you gather your claims and evidences

#26 Comment By Necati Genis On December 25, 2011 @ 6:39 pm

John The Turk,

I know it sounds a little …..”racism” but how can we accept someone who is half Armenian to be The president of Turkey while all Armenians are in endless hatred against us Turks.

And you know what is worst ? it is possible.

we have a half georgian P.Minister. this is no problem.
We have many kurdish ministers …!
We had a kurdish president….!
How many Al- Qaeda in The white house ? ZERO
We have terrorist PKK members in Parliament…!

I think Turkey is the most democratic country on the earth.

#27 Comment By peter orfaly On December 26, 2011 @ 6:52 am

If turkey is cicvilised nation , comeon turks lets talk frankly u know u did it & ( U cant cover the sun with sieve) Arabic quote.

#28 Comment By sylva-MD-Poetry On December 26, 2011 @ 6:56 am

Hackers have attacked the website of French parliamentarian Valerie Boyer, the author of the bill criminalizing genocide denial that was recently adopted by the French National Assembly.
The hackers posted a Turkish flag and an address to the French government and the Armenians community of the country. The message says that the bill was meant to reap votes in 2012 election.
Ms. Boyer said she called the police after she and her family members received death threats.

#29 Comment By Sylva-MD-Poetry On December 26, 2011 @ 8:44 am

If someone asks me…
Sylva, are you Turkish …?
I will say, “I am proud to be Turkish
If I am related to Human Race and not the criminals.”

If I have some genes from:
Namik Kemal ( 1840-1888)
Tavfik Fikrat ( !867-1915)
Nazim Hikmat ( 1902-1963)
Aziz Nesim (1915-1995)
Orhan Pamuk ( 1952- ????)

Aren’t they all Turks…!
But they are Humans …
I will never open a court against them…
And refuse to recognize my real genes…
Like P. Abdullah Gul….Gullian
HIs wife, Hayrünnisa … covers her head with her scarf
And even half of her face
Escaping to be accused as Armenian
What’s wrong with Armenians
Aren’t they humans …
This needs a new international law …
To pass a bill…
“Don’t betray your origin…
If you betray ..you’re criminal…
If you deny your origin,
You should be punished”

See the difference:
If you tell A Beduin … (like Al-Anazi Tribe…Who have Armenian grand mothers) you have some Armenian genes.
He will say, “I am proud… Armenians are Clever…Honest race”

Did the invaders understood what I said…?
I hope Yes…
If No, Pray to God to modify their Astrocytes…

Sylva-MD-Poetry

#30 Comment By Arshag On December 26, 2011 @ 3:13 pm

To Necati Genis,
who seems to be so much worried about the ancestry of his president.
Just to wake you up, you may read Fathiye Cetin’s book on “My grandmother”, which has been translated and published in many languages. Cetin is a Turkish lawyer whose grandmother had been snatched from her mother by a Turkish gendarme and raised as a Muslim. She lived all her life as a hidden Armenian untill a short while before her death, some years ago, she revealed the truth to her beloved grandchiled Fathiye. The book shows that a considerable part of Turkish population may have Armenian parentage. So, it is very much possible that some day you find that you too descend from Armenian parents or grandparents.

#31 Comment By Necati Genis On December 26, 2011 @ 3:24 pm

“If someone asks me…
Sylva, are you Turkish …?
I will say, “I am proud to be Turkish”

sylvia,

1. you are a lier saying above.
2. You probably have Turkish genes because we barbarians raped your ancestors according to what you say.

Have you ever had a DNA test ?

#32 Comment By Arshag On December 26, 2011 @ 4:11 pm

Necati,
You may just as well be the offspring of those rapes. Isn’t it so that many Turkish citizens have Armenian blood, just like your president?. Have you had a DNA test?

#33 Comment By RVDV On December 26, 2011 @ 5:51 pm

Who cares what blood runs through our veins?! Why should it matter to me as a Turkish person if I have Armenian blood in me? What have Armenians ever done to me? Nothing. Should I be considering it “tainted” blood? Why should it matter? I don’t care if President Gul has Armenian blood in him, it won’t have any effect on the fact that I hate him and his Islamist buddies with all my heart. Im sure we all have a mixed heritage- we did live side by side for centuries. So, so what if I have Armenian, Turkish, Kurdish, or Greek blood in me, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s certainly not something to hold against someone as if they even had a say in what heritage they have.

“We have terrorist PKK members in Parliament…!”

Seriously, Necati?: I’m not even gonna waste my time to tell you how sub-humanly dumb you are.

#34 Comment By jda On January 7, 2012 @ 6:55 pm