French Businessman Says The Bill Does not Represent Majority of French People

He pointed out that everything regarding the genocide bill came into existence without the knowledge of a majority of French people and added it is unlikely the senate will approve the bill. “We don’t think that this bill will pass through the senate. Today, most intellectuals, historians and politicians began to raise their voice by pointing out that the bill is a violation of constitutional law,” said Laouenan.

He noted that the issue recently has occupied a significant place in the French media as historians and intellectuals quarrel over the bill. Laouenan, who has been living in Turkey for 18 years, said they contacted the French media to prevent the passage of the bill by the senate to preserve the friendship between the countries, which have had a significant amount of trade.

In an address to the press in İstanbul on Thursday, he said they are in contact with French politicians. Ankara reacted furiously when the lower house of the French parliament last week approved the bill, recalling its ambassador from Paris, banning French military aircraft and warships from landing and docking in Turkey and freezing political and economic meetings. Zeynep Necipoğlu, the president of the association, said trade between the countries reached 12 billion euros. In addition, the number of French firms that operate in Turkey soared to 400 from 15 over the last 25 years.

(Ayten Ciftci / Emre Demir,İstanbul\Paris\ Today's Zaman)