Expert on Genocide bill: France decided against impairing ties with Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - Recently, the relations between Turkey and France were rather strained. The adoption of a bill criminalizing the denial of Armenian Genocide would further exacerbate them, according to a Turkish Studies expert.

Commenting on the French Senate’s non-adoption of the bill in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Ruben Melkonyannoted, “with Turkey’s increasing presence in the international scene, many countries, including France, have to reckon with it. Recent international situation does not favor adoption of Genocide resolutions or similar draft laws,” he said.

The expert noted with regret that the Genocide issue was turned into a bargain between the states.

Dwelling on the response of France’s Armenian community, the expert noted, “I expect the reaction will be sharp, yet I’m more interested in the response of Charles Aznavour, who earlier said he’d undertake drastic steps were the bill not adopted.”

The French Senate on Wednesday, May 4 rejected a bill penalizing the denial of Armenian Genocide.

The bill, which was recently rejected by the French Senate Constitution Commission, envisioned five years in prison and a fine of up to 45,000 euros for people on French soil who deny Armenian Genocide. The bill was not endorsed by the French government either.

Earlier, the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France called on Armenian community representatives to gather in front of the Senate during the discussion of the bill to be presented by Serge Lagauche at 2:30 pm Paris time.