ARFD official comments on Genocide bill outcome

February 2, 2012 - 12:36 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - ARD Dashnaktsutyun Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director commented on possible decisions of French constitutional council as to the Genocide bill.

“There are several scenarios,” Kiro Manoyan said. “The council may confirm the bill as constitutional, or partly constitutional, to refer it once again to parliament.”

“Even in the event the bill is announced unconstitutional, we mustn’t lose heart. We came as close as possible to international recognition of Genocide, which should encourage us to promote adoption of similar laws,” the politician said.

According to ARFD official, today, February 2, French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet with Armenian community representatives.

After being approved by the National Assembly and Senate, the Armenian Genocide law was put on hold after politicians opposed to the legislation demanded that its constitutionality be examined.

Two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation - from both the Senate and the lower house - said they had formally requested the constitutional council examine the law. The groups said they each had gathered more than the minimum 60 signatures required to ask the council to test the law's constitutionality. The council is obliged to deliver its judgment within a month, but this can be reduced to eight days if the government deems the matter urgent.

Turkey reacted furiously last week when the Senate approved the law, which threatens with jail anyone in France who denies the 1915 Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turk forces.