TURKEY: Protesters demonstrate in front of French embassy/ Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan says French President Jacques Chirac has apologised

Members of the Turkish pro-nationalist party, protested in front of the French Embassy in Istanbul on Sunday (October 15) at the approval of a bill making it a crime to deny Armenians suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks. Protesters, whom were blocked by riot police from approaching the entrance of the embassy, threw eggs and tomatoes towards the embassy which has been the site of many protests by NGO's and political parties since French parliament approved the bill. Turkey denies any genocide, saying the Armenians were victims of a partisan war that also claimed many Muslim Turkish lives. Turkey accuses Armenians of carrying out massacres while siding with invading Russian troops during World War One. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told his party members on Saturday (October 14) of the apology he received from French leader Jacques Chirac during a phone call. "This morning, Mr. Chirac called me and told me he was sorry and he said that he is listening to our statements and thinks we are right and he will do what he can in the upcoming process," Erdogan told his ruling AK Party during a dinner on Saturday evening. The French president's office did not comment when contacted about Chirac's call to Erdogan on Saturday morning. But immediately after Thursday's vote the French Foreign Ministry said it did not support the lower house bill, calling it "unnecessary and untimely" and indicating it might never become law as it still needs to be ratified by both the upper The European Commission has said that recognition of the genocide was not a precondition for Turkey entering the EU. But Chirac and the two leading candidates to replace him in polls due next May -- Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal -- all say Ankara must accept the genocide before joining the bloc. France is home to Europe's largest Armenian diaspora. Erdogan warned on Friday that Turkey was considering retaliatory measures against France. French firms have warned the bill would create repercussions for their business in Turkey, a fast-growing market which imported 4.7 billion euros' worth of French goods in 2005.

ITN Source | October 15, 2006

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