Expert: Ankara to sustain real losses from own sanctions imposed on France

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. If Turkey imposes economic sanctions on France, it will sustain real losses, since French capital plays an important part in the Turlish market, Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Armenian National Academy of Sciences, said Monday in Novosti International Press Center.

 

On Thursday, the National Assembly of France passed a bill proposing punishment for denial of facts of genocides, including Armenian Genocide.

 

The denial of the fact of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, which took 1.5 million lives, will carry imprisonment or a €45,000 fine.

 

Ankara reacted angrily to this decision – it recalled its ambassador and threatened France with freeze on joint projects.

 

“First of all, Turkey will damage itself, since it is economically dependent on France,” he said. “For example, 20% of Turkey’s car-making industry is under French companies’ control.”

 

Safrastyan said that if France’s Senate, too, passes this bill, Ankara will impose new sanctions, “but it is obvious that Turkey is trapped, since any sanction against France seems ridiculous even in Turkey.

 

Ankara is always reacting painfully to accusations of committing the Armenian Genocide.

 

Earlier, Turkish authorities warned France against recognition and threatened it with return steps.

 

The fact of this genocide has been recognized by many states.

 

Uruguay recognized the fact of Armenian Genocide in 1965 - it was the first country that did this.

 

Russia, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and 42 states of the USA followed Uruguay.

 

Vatican, European Parliament and the World Council of Churches did the same.-0---