October 18, 2006
" Turks straddling 2 worlds in bid to join EU
Susanne Fowler in International Herald Tribune
The old ways linger in this modernizing Turkish metropolis, whose 15 million residents are both eager and hesitant to be embraced as European. The feeling is perhaps most tangible during Ramazan, as the Islamic holy month is known in Turkish.
Turkish PM admitted to hospital during Ramadan. Short Bio of Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The man in charge of Turkish higher education, Erdogan Tezic, chairman of the strictly secular body that oversees Turkish universities, on Monday returned to France a prestigious medal in protest over a French bill making it a crime to deny Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turks during World War One. And Cengiz Ozdemir says "Giving back the Legion d'Honneur medal: Now that's the way to protest". In other developments, it is reported that Boycott Decreases Total's Sales by 30% and Danone-Turkey Launches Signature Campaign to Protest Armenian Bill. IHT analyze France in denial and says:
.......Yes, France is one of a dozen European countries that have laws against denying the Holocaust. There is an argument that they, too, violate freedom of expression. But those laws at least are based on the threat posed by die-hard anti- Semites who still subscribe to Hitler's racist theories. The Armenian question poses no dangers in France. Playing politics with it trivializes not only the Holocaust, but also the Armenian genocide.
Turkish riot police officers cordon off the French consulate during an anti-France demonstration in a busy shopping district in central Istanbul October 14, 2006. Anger raised in Turkey after the French lower house of parliament approved a bill on Thursday making it a crime to deny Armenians suffered genocide in 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. REUTERS/Fatih Saribas
Countries with laws Against Holocaust Denial:
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Israel
Lithuania
Poland
Romania
Slovakia
Switzerland
Thanks Mavi Boncuk!
In the mean time, Pope Benedict's Trip to Turkey Confirmed and Historians to discuss Rome-Constantinople ties during his visit.
The Turkish government has denied claims of populist spending ahead of next year's elections after unveiling a planned 17% budget increase. while Turkish business ethics now robust, says OECD and Turkey's Foreign Capital on the Rise
And here is a Russian take on Europe, Armenian genocide, and Turkey
Posted by erkan at October 18, 2006 06:13 AM | TrackBackPosted to Armenian Question | News | Pope/Pope's Speech | Profiles/Agents