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May 23rd
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Switzerland: Armenian, Turkish Historians Should Investigate History

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The president of the Swiss Confederation and Switzerland's foreign minister said on Monday that Armenian and Turkish historians should investigate the history.

Micheline Calmy-Rey said that historians in Armenia and Turkey should deal with the allegations regarding the incidents of 1915. 

The historians would then contribute to discussions with their findings, Calmy-Rey said during Turkish ambassadors conference in Ankara. 

Calmy-Rey said there was not any law in Switzerland which acknowledged a certain incident as genocide, like in France. 

The foreign minister said Switzerland had mediated between Turkey and Armenia between 2007 and October 2009 to enable the two countries to establish diplomatic relations, open their borders and set up sub-committees. 

Switzerland's official mediation role ended with protocols signed in Zurich on October 10, 2009, Calmy-Rey said.

Calmy-Rey said Swiss penal code punished discourses and propaganda including racism, and the Swiss government had many times condemned the "tragic incidents of 1915." 

The minister said the Swiss government had clearly expressed its formal view about this issue in 2003, and there had been no change in Switzerland's stance. 

However, Armenian and Turkish historian should investigate the issue, and contribute to discussions with their findings, Calmy-Rey also said. 

The lower house of the French parliament adopted on Thursday a resolution that criminalizes rejection of Armenian allegations pertaining to the incidents of 1915. Only 70 out of 577 parliamentarians joined the voting of the resolution which was adopted with majority of votes. 

The resolution envisages "one-year prison term and 45,000 Euro fine for those who deny genocide recognized by French laws." French Parliament had recognized so-called Armenian genocide in 1915 on January 29, 2001. 

The draft criminalizing the rejection of Armenian allegations had first been approved in 2006, but it could not become a law as French President Nicolas Sarkozy prevented its presentation to Senate. 

Now, the senate's approval is necessary to make the resolution a law. 

Turkey strongly opposes the issue of the incidents of 1915 being used as a tool in French politics. Many believe that French President Sarkozy supports the Armenian resolution in order to garner support from France's Armenian population that number around 500,000. 

France will hold the first round of next year's presidential election on April 22 and the second round run-off on May 6. Sarkozy is running for a second term. 

If the resolution is not adopted at the senate till February 22, 2012 when the parliament and senate will recess for presidential elections, it will be invalid. 

Moreover, Davutoglu thanked Switzerland for its active policy that had a significant effect on Turkish-Armenian normalization talks, and said Swiss parliament had rejected such a resolution on December 21.

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