October 19, 2007 - 20:09 AMT
Not favoring economic and political interests, France withstood Turkish blackmail
Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian received the French delegation led by Jean-Claude Gaudin, Vice president of the Senate and the Mayor of Marseilles.

Head of the Armenia-France interparliamentary group Ara Babloyan and French Ambassador to Armenia Serge Smessov also attended the meting.

Noting that France doesn't welcome Turkey's EU bid, Mr Gaudin said, "Armenian Genocide recognition is a subject of discussion in the U.S. and is an unquestionable fact in France."

For his part, Tigran Torosian praised France for its stand on the Armenian Genocide issue.

"Not favoring economic and political interests, France withstood Turkish blackmail. But unfortunately, the U.S. Congress seems vulnerable to threats. An aspirant to the European Union, Turkey keeps the Armenian border closed for 16 years already, neglecting the EU principles and values," he said, the RA NA press office reported.