Turkey on Friday asked French senators to reject a bill criminalising the denial of the Armenian claims of genocide, which comes before the French Senate next Monday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged “reason and dialogue” in the row with Turkey on the Armenian genocide, in a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic urged voters on Friday not to miss a “great opportunity” and back their country’s entry into the European Union in a nationwide referendum on the issue this weekend. “Sunday is a big and important day. Our citizens have an opportunity to say