Turkish delegation starts its persuasion tour in France

Turkey has been lobbying with full force to counter a French bill that aims to penalize denial of alleged Armenian genocide in France, as multiple delegations from the ruling party, opposition lawmakers, Turkish business people and civil society organizations embark on a Paris trip to warn French officials of the possible damage the denial bill could cause. "Our hope is that the bill will not be put on the agenda on Dec. 22," Volkan Bozkir, head of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission said on Monday, as he led the Ankara delegation to Paris earlier this week. "Disruption in relations between Turkey and France will not yield positive results in Turkey either, but we have run out of patience," Bozkir said in hope that Turkish warnings bring about reconsideration with the French legislature. The Parliament delegation led by Bozkir met with Axel Poniatowski, president of the foreign affairs commission in parliament and Pierre Moscovici of the Socialist Party Tuesday morning. Opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmakers Haluk Koc and Osman Koruturk were also dispatched from Ankara by CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu to contact French officials to discuss the probable risks of the bill. The French bill also triggered a wave of reaction from Turkish business circles, which have expressed their reservations regarding the financial implications of the passage of such a denial bill, since France and Turkey have strong mutual trade ties, and both countries have several companies that conduct business with each other. A delegation consisting of businesspeople, led by Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarciklioglu and Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairwoman Umit Boyner is also scheduled to engage in contacts with French business people with the aim of convincing them to increase pressure on French officials regarding the bill.