Turkey Cancels Major Tender because Bidders have French Partners
Turkish Public Works and Housing Ministry announced on Thursday that the bidding for the Izmit Gulf Passage project has been cancelled since both consortia who participated in the bidding had French partners, reported Anatolia press agency.
An official at the ministry told the agency that they had earlier stated that they would employ such sanctions against France if this country didn't annul Parliament resolution on the so-called Armenian genocide.
The French lawmaker voted for a bill holding Ottoman Turkey of massive killings of the Armenian citizens.
''After the French president ratified the resolution, our ministry reconsidered the bidding of Izmit Gulf Passage and decided to cancel it since both consortia that participated in the bid had French partners. Our Ministry will continue its firm attitude on this matter,'' the official explained.
On Nov.2 2000, the ministry had announced the bid to construct a Gulf passage and a highway. Bouygues S.A. - Vinsan Inc. and I.B.K.O. Consortium-Tekfen Construction Inc. groups had given offers.
France's acknowledgement of the controversial killings in the early 1900s as genocide has jeopardized the interests of French firms in lucrative Turkish defense tenders.
Turkey recalled its ambassador to France and decided political and economic sanctions against Paris.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem has given the first hint that French companies could be excluded from defense tenders worth billions of dollars.
"Generally such measures (of retaliation) are introduced with respect to public tenders and defense contracts," he told reporters – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
