Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated official Ankara may apply trade and other sanctions against France, if the French Parliament adopts a law, providing for penalty for denial of the Armenian Genocide. Erdogan noted France's bill to criminalize denial of the Armenian Genocide is related to its domestic political issues. Erdogan said he met with representatives of French companies operating in Turkey and added that they are also worried over the current situation. Emphasizing that French President Jacques Chirac also voiced his discomfort over the bill during their conversation in Vienna, Erdogan said: "Chirac wants that the bill be decided by the lower wing and should not be carried to Parliament. He said the agenda of the French Parliament was already too busy."

"Our patience continues up to a certain point. We want to reach an agreement and we will continue to act with patience, but I don't know what will happen if this process in France continues. We are not in the position of hostility; however, we can apply our own sanctions," Erdogan said. He said that a country that has considerable investments in Turkey will of course be negatively affected with this kind of a situation, reports the Zaman newspaper.

Discussion of the bill, which provides for a fine of 45 thousand euros or imprisonment of 5 years for denial of the Armenian Genocide, is planned May 18.