A bill on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which an ethnic Armenian MP introduced in the parliament of the Iraqi Kurdistan autonomous region, has caused debates among the local political parties, Asbarez reports, citing German Kurdish news agency Rudaw.

Although the parliament’s Kurdistan Patriots Union (KYB) openly supported the bill, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Movement for Change (Gorran) preferred to remain silent on the matter.

KYB lawmaker Rewas Fayik noted that he signed for this bill and its passing in the Iraqi Kurdistan parliament will be “something ordinary.”

Several KDP lawmakers likewise signed in favor of the passing of the proposed law.

KDP member Muhammad Amir Dershewi, for his part, said everyone knows that genocide was committed against the Armenians, and stressed that the parliament of the Kurdistan autonomous region must take the initiative.

Forty Iraqi Kurdistan members of parliament signed under the bill, which calls for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It has been submitted to the presidency of the parliament for consideration.