Kouchner: France's recognition of Armenian Genocide shouldn't hamper relations with Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - The French and Turkish Foreign Ministers agreed that their countries have more similarities than differences and that continued dialogue between the two nations has the potential to improve relations. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his guest, French Foreign Minister and Minister of European Affairs Bernard Kouchner, were speaking at a press conference Friday during a visit by Kouchner to Ankara. Babacan said the French Foreign Minister was informed that Turkey does not want to be dragged into discussions about the future of the EU and awaits the fulfillment of European promises made to it. The two were set to have a second round of talks in the evening, when, according to Babacan, they would discuss Turkish and French interests in other countries, especially the Middle East.



Kouchner was also scheduled to visit President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where discussions were expected to focus on issues such as a "committee of wise men" and "privileged partnership." Babacan informed Kouchner about Turkey's unwillingness to even discuss the possibility of a status other than full membership in the European Union, Zaman reports.



As to the French bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, the French Foreign Minister claimed in the press conference that the law will not cause any difficulty between Turkey and France and that nothing has been decided upon yet. The committee of wise men France is supposed to discuss the future strategies and boundaries of the EU. France also asks that this committee work on the Mediterranean Union that France wants to see Turkey a part of.



In an interview with the Milliyet newspaper, Kouchner said that France recently went through a difficult period in its relations with Turkey and that his visit should be regarded as a symbol of a mutual desire to give a strong new impetus to relations between the two. Kouchner is the first high-level French official to visit Ankara since Nicolas Sarkozy, a staunch opponent of Turkey's EU accession, was elected president in May. Sarkozy has repeatedly said Turkey does not belong in the EU, arguing that it is geographically in Asia.