Bill to counter genocide claims

Ankara - Turkey's nationalist government coalition partner said yesterday it would propose a bill providing for swift sanctions…

Ankara - Turkey's nationalist government coalition partner said yesterday it would propose a bill providing for swift sanctions against countries whose parliaments accuse Turks of genocide against Armenians.

The bill, sponsored by the Nationalist Action Party (MHP), follows a French parliamentary vote last week recognising claims that Ottoman Turks systematically massacred 1.5 million Armenians in 1915. A similar bill was passed by the European parliament and resolutions have been before the Italian and US legislatures.