Interview with Hulusi Kilic, ambassador of Turkey to Azerbaijan.
Q: How do you assess the adoption by the French National Assembly of the bill penalizing denial of the genocides recognized by the law?
A: I condemn the decision of the French National Assembly. The bill was adopted with the participation of 55 members of the National Assembly, which has 577 members. I think as the French parliamentarians, who attended the meeting and voted for the bill, are not historians, they will bear responsibility before the history. There are reports that those who voted for the bill have material benefit. This is disrespect not only for Turkey, but also for the entire Turkic people. All should object to this decision.
68 percent of the French people do not approve this decision. If the Senate passes the bill, France will return to the period before revolution in 1789. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression will be eliminated. The historians will not be able to discuss independently the historical events. I think the decision of the National Assembly is a blot on the reputation of France, because the French people do not approve this decision and the French people have always wanted freedom. I believe the French Senate will act more sensibly. We do not want the politicians to do the work of the historians.
Q: What do you think France’s goals are in passing this bill?
A: I think with this decision Sarkozy counts on the votes of the Armenian Diaspora in the presidential elections in France. This decision is a political maneuver of Sarkozy.
Q: How this law will effect the Turkish-French and Turkish-Armenian relations?
A: First of all, it will have negative impact on the Turkish-French relations. We will take additional steps if it is approved. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already declared what steps Ankara will take. This law will have no any effectiveness for the Turkish-Armenian relations, on the contrary, it will negatively effect these relations. Armenian president was first to welcome this decision, which inculcates hate and enmity. I repeatedly say that this decision will not effective for anyone.
Q: Do you think that by adopting such a law, France discredited its mediatory mission in the OSCE Minsk Group? What steps shall Azerbaijan take?
A: I can’t say anything about the steps Azerbaijan will take. President Abdullah Gul made a statement on this. Many parliamentarians and intellectuals from Azerbaijan also expressed their opinions. The problem of Karabakh has not been solved for 20 years. Thousands of our brothers and sisters were displaced from their homeland. France discredits its co-chairmanship by this decision. I also join these opinions. The visit of French president Sarkozy to the region in October showed that France takes side. He stayed in Armenia one day, but spent only three hours in Azerbaijan.
He didn’t visit Heydar Aliyev’s memorial and Alley of Martyrs. But leaders of other countries visit these sites during their visits to Baku. Sarkozy visited Baku for the interests of France to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the French school. Both French parliament’s decision and Sarkozy’s visit in October show that French leadership takes pro-Armenian stand.
Q: What joint steps can Turkey and Azerbaijan take in the current situation?
A: The policy of Azerbaijan and Turkey dovetail into one another. We have common foreign policy. The decision on our further steps will be passed in our high-level meetings. I hope that the Senate will not approve this decision, and we will go on. Let the historians to research the history.
I express gratitude on behalf of our country to the leadership of the Azerbaijani Parliament, MPs, state and governmental officials, Foreign Ministry, politicians, heads of the opposition parties, public organization and everybody who protested this unfair decision of France.
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