Foreign Ministry: Turkey to 'harshly' react to France's ban on 'Grey Wolves' group

Photo: ermenihaber

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has criticized France's move to ban the "Grey Wolves," which it says is a violent Turkish nationalist group, saying that "Turkey will react to this decision in the harshest way."

Denying the existence of such a group, the ministry said in a written statement yesterday (November 4) that France's "imaginary decision," was the "final manifestation of the contradictory psychology of the country."

France's Minister of Interior Gerald Darmanin announced the ban on the group yesterday. A ministry decree said that the group had been involved in violence since its establishment and were violent with Armenians and Kurds in the country.

It noted that members of the group sprayed "Grey Wolves" and RTE, the initials of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on a monument for the Armenian Genocide in Decines-Charpieu, Lyon.

The decision came amid heightened tensions between France and Turkey in recent months.

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According to Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was "unacceptable" to ban cultural symbols used in many countries around the world.

"The freedom of association, expression and demonstration of the Turkish community in France should be protected within the context of universal human rights and regulations," said the ministry.

The decision showed that "the French government has become completely captive of the Armenian circles," it noted, saying that France ignored "the rising incitement of the fanatical Armenian diaspora" within its borders.

The ministry said that the ban on the Grey Wolves, was reminiscent of the France's "bad record in fighting terrorist organizations groups, including the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] and FETÖ [Fethullahist Terrorist Organization]." (EKN/VK)