France delays inauguration of Turkish consulate due to Ankara's reactions

PARIS (A.A) – February 29, 2012 – France has delayed inauguration of a Turkish consulate general in Bordeaux due to Ankara's strong diplomatic reactions to a French law criminalizing denial of Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915. French President Nicolas Sarkozy had approved inauguration of Turkish consulates in Bordeaux and Nantes when he paid one-day visit to Turkey last year. Although two countries have fulfilled requirements for inauguration of the consulates, France has delayed a permit to Turkish consul general, who has been appointed to Bordeaux, just as a reaction to Turkey's diplomatic reactions to France after adoption of a law that makes it a crime to deny Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915.  Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed information A.A correspondent has received, and said diplomatic relations had been downgraded due to the law. A Turkish diplomat told AA correspondent that written note exchange between the Turkish and French ambassadors and the foreign ministries of the two countries almost stopped after the law was adopted at the French Parliament. The Constitutional Court annulled on Tuesday the law, which has caused a serious diplomatic crisis between Turkey and France, saying that it was against freedom of expression and communication. The law penalized denial of the Armenian allegations with one-year prison term and fine of 45 thousand euros.