The bill foreseeing those denying the Armenian genocide allegations to be condemned to a prison term of one year and a fine of 45,000 Euros was adopted in the French Senate on January 23 after lengthy negotiations. In order for the law to enter into force, it also had to be signed by the French President.
A draft law which foresaw the criminalization of those denying the Armenian genocide allegations in France was adopted in the French National Assembly on December 22nd 2011 and was sent to the Senate. In order for the bill to become a law, the Senate should approve the text exactly as it is.
A draft law foreseeing the punishment of the denial of the Armenian genocide allegations has been adopted by the French National Assembly on December 22nd.
In yesterday’s article, we had indicated that this year in May, President Sarkozy had prevented the adoption of a draft law in the French Senate which foresaw the punishment of the denial of the Armenian genocide allegations, but that around five months later, had changed his stance based on a single event.
Although Turkey-France relations have occasionally normal periods -albeit short-lived- for approximately ten years, in essence they are in a permanent state of crisis.
The US House of Representatives adopted a resolution on December 14 which called upon Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage in the country and return confiscated church properties.
“To blow hot and cold” is also a French idiom used very commonly. It means a rapid change of idea or defending two opposite ideas concerning a certain issue at the same time. France’s stance on the Armenian Question is really blowing hot and cold, which is appropriate to this phrase.
In yesterday’s article, we have informed the reader that during his visit to Armenia, French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide allegations and that if this recognition was not made within the timeframe until April, the draft law foreseeing the punishment of those denying the genocide allegations and being rejected by the French Senate would be addressed again. We had also expressed in our article that the Turkish statesmen raised criticisms to Sarkozy by harsh statements.
Approximately a week after Sarkisian’s visit to France, President Sarkozy had conducted an official visit to Armenia on 6-7 October 2001. What’s interesting is that in an unusual way, a very short time has elapsed since the first visit. This shows that Sarkozy is in a rush or in other words, he wants to implement his Armenian policy as soon as possible.
It has been a surprise for the Armenians as much as for the Turks when French President Nicolas Sarkozy, during his visit to Armenia on 6-7 October, called on Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide allegations and indicated that if not, France would adopt the draft resolution on punishment of genocide denial.
