Turkish Ambassador to Paris may be recalled

As a vote in the French Parliament to pass a bill to penalize "Armenian genocide" denial draws closer, Engin Solakoglu, Undersecretary of the Turkish Embassy in Paris, said, "The passage of the French measure will lead to irreparable damage in Turkish-French ties," adding that Turkish Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu is expected to be recalled to Ankara for consultations for an indefinite period of time. Speaking on the issue, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey would retort, if the was is passed. Davutoglu also warned France that the bill represented a "medieval mindset" amid efforts to understand history. "France, which considers itself the center of enlightenment in Europe, will lead the return of medieval mentality to Europe. Turkey is ready for facing its own history through a fair memory. But nobody should even think about revoking our right of defense," Davutoğlu said yesterday during a budget debate in Parliament.