(USASABAH and Agencies)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned a French bill making the denial of 1915 events as a genocide is a criminal offence, saying it would open "irreparable wounds" in relations.
"This will open very grave and irreparable wounds" in Turkish-French relations, said Erdogan.
" France's genocide bill is "politics based on racism, discrimination, xenophobia. Turkey is cancelling all economic, political, military meetings with France over genocide bill "
Turkey said it's recalling ambassador to France, halting official contact.
"Ask to your father about genocide and French massacre in Algeria"
Erdoğan said President Nicolas Sarkozy's father might have direct knowledge about French "massacres" in Algeria. "In Algeria from 1945, an estimated 15 percent of the population was massacred by the French. This is genocide," Erdoğan said on live television.
"If the French President Mr. Sarkozy doesn't know about this genocide he should go and ask his father, Paul Sarkozy. "His father served in the French Legion in Algeria in the 1940s. I am sure he would have lots to tell his son about the French massacres in Algeria," Erdoğan said.
"There is not freedom of expression in France"
"I am asking now if there is freedom of expression and freedom of thought in France, and I will reply myself, no, there is not," he said. "Turkish-French ties are not just 50-100 years old. It is a centuries-old strong relationship, a process that Mr.Sarkozy sacrifices for the sake of political calculations. This bill will do more injustice to French people than it does to Turks," Erdoğan said. "This bill has removed the free discussion atmosphere (in France). The principles of liberty, fraternity and equality, which form the basis of the French revolution, have been trampled on." He said the bill was voted on by only 10 percent of the French lawmakers who attended the vote at the parliament. "This step will open heavy wounds that will be difficult to heal in Turkish-French ties," he said. "This is the first step, the first stage of measures, and they will be implemented decisively."
The eight item initial sanctions plan released by Erdoğan is as follows:
1. We are recalling Turkey's Paris Ambassador to Ankara for advising.
2. We are cancelling all economic, political and military meetings with Paris as well as all mutual programs such as seminars, courses and personnel exchanges.
3. Turkey will no longer collaborate with France on any pairing projects within the EU framework.
4. All political consulting with France will be halted.
5. All joint military activities and exercises will be cancelled.
6. All annual permission granted for military flights and landing and take-offs will be cancelled. Permission will be required for every flight.
7. Turkey will be refusing all applications made for military warships to dock in Turkey's ports.
8. Turkey will no longer be participating in the Joint Trade Committee meeting scheduled for January.
