Sarkozy reiterates pledge over Genocide bill new text

PanARMENIAN.Net - President of France Nicolas Sarkozy issued letters to A. Govciyan, President of the Coordination Council of Armenian organizations in France and Ara Toranian, co-chairman of the Coordination Council, in which he reiterated his intention to submit a new text of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, Nouvelles d`Arménie reports.

It is noteworthy, that during the Armenian Genocide commemorative event in France Sarkozy pledged to present the text in June

French President also promised to continue struggle for “triumph of justice” in his letters.

Sarkozy noted that the Armenians fell victim to the first carefully planned action aiming to annihilate an entire nation.

“Armenian refugees became devoted children of France, and our country was honored to give shelter to them,” he wrote, adding that France is honored to struggle for international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

“Though I respect the constitutional court’s ruling, I want the new text of the bill to be submitted to parliament already in June,” French President’s letters read.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide was anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and communication.”

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara halted political and military cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took effect.

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, President Nicolas Sarkozy instructed the government to submit a new draft law punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.