Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Accompanying the TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu on TOBB and TÜSİAD’s Paris visit the previous day were TÜSİAD President Ümit Boyner, TOBB Board Vice Presidents Murat Yalçıntaş and Tanıl Küçük, TÜSİAD Vice President Tayfun Beyazıt, TÜSİAD Board Member Lucien Arkas and Turkish French Trade Foundation President Zeynep Necipoğlu.

Speaking with reporters on the plane, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said that last week meetings with the 30 French companies operating in Ankara were held with Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and Customs and Trade President Hayati Yazıcı attending.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In our meetings with French companies with the most invested working in Turkey, we relayed the possible consequences of the bill passing. They assured us that they would be in contact with their headquarters in France and send letters to Sarkozy.”

- Freedom of thought is being executed at the guillotine

Stating that Sarkozy is in fear for the elections, Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “Sarkozy, unfortunately, is pretending to be a historian in the pursuit of votes. Disregarding the works of scientists, historians and documents in archives, in a politically motivated move, has decided to rewrite official history. The politician Sarkozy is betraying his own history. This bill is the denial of the French enlightenment. It was Voltaire that said, ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’ 40,000 people lost their lives during the French revolution to the guillotine. Now freedom of thought is being executed at the guillotine. Is this the France of Descartes who said, ‘I think, therefore I am,’ or of Sarkozy who cries thought crime?”

- Turkish Diaspora on alert

Hisarcıklıoğlu also said that they have mobilized the Turkish diaspora in France. 55 French delegates of the World Turkish Business Council (DTİK) were contacted. Heads of the 5 largest foundations were met. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the European Committee President has started lobby activities throughout Europe and went on, “We prepared letters and sent them to parliament representatives. Businessmen and chamber presidents have met with them and relayed their reactions. We have also mobilized institutions to be more active.”

- France’s economy will be hit

Speaking about the dynamism of Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that in the event that trade relations between the two countries suffer, Airbus along with every other French company in Turkey would stand to lose. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “53% of Turkish Airlines’ (THY) fleet is comprised of Airbus planes. THY will be acquiring 100 new planes in the coming term. French companies may be left out of the 100 billion Dollar Turkey energy market in the next 10 years.”

- Imports from Italy decreased by 31% in 1998

In the event that the bill is passed, the commercial relations between the two countries would suffer, stated Hisarcıklıoğlu and recalled the problems encountered with Italy in 1998 regarding the terrorist PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. Italian goods were boycotted by the people upon Italy’s refusal to hand over Öcalan, resulting in the decreased of imports from Italy by 31%. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “As of the end of 2010 French companies in Turkey have directly invested 10.3 billion Dollars. 20 of the 1000 largest industry establishments’ 2010 turnover is 12.7 billion TL.”
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