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FRANCE PASSES 'GENOCIDE' BILL
EuroNews
Jan 24 2012
France
After a debate lasting more than seven hours, the French Senate voted
to back a controversial new law making it illegal to refer to the
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as anything other than genocide.
Anyone breaking the law could be fined or imprisoned.
With 127 votes in favour and 86 against, French President Nicolas
Sarkozy has 15 days to approve the bill.
Deputy for the UMP party and the person who proposed the bill, Valerie
Boyer, said it was a tremendous step: "It's a very important moment,
a great moment for human rights and human dignity. I'm very glad that
parliament has adopted the law today, and I hope that this law move
forward peacefully."
However, President for the Commission of the Senate and Socialist
Party member Jean-Pierre Sueur was less pleased with the outcome:
"We are quite sure in the commission of the law of the senate that
this text is unconstitutional. Sooner or later, we will see so. But
the question is whether this discussion has eased the pain on both
sides? Has this discussion made the history clearer? Was it beneficial
for diplomatic relations? I'm not sure and I don't believe that this
matter is closed," he said.
Relations between Paris and Ankara have deteriorated. Turkey sees the
move as purely political, as Sarkozy faces a presidential election in
April and May. The bill was proposed by Sarkozy's UMP party. There
are accusations that Sarkozy is using the genocide bill to win the
votes of the large minority of ethnic Armenians living in France,
which numbers more than 500,000.
Some of those Armenians were outside the senate building in Paris,
celebrating what they see as the rightful recognition of what happened
to their countrymen under the Ottoman Turks.
EuroNews
Jan 24 2012
France
After a debate lasting more than seven hours, the French Senate voted
to back a controversial new law making it illegal to refer to the
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as anything other than genocide.
Anyone breaking the law could be fined or imprisoned.
With 127 votes in favour and 86 against, French President Nicolas
Sarkozy has 15 days to approve the bill.
Deputy for the UMP party and the person who proposed the bill, Valerie
Boyer, said it was a tremendous step: "It's a very important moment,
a great moment for human rights and human dignity. I'm very glad that
parliament has adopted the law today, and I hope that this law move
forward peacefully."
However, President for the Commission of the Senate and Socialist
Party member Jean-Pierre Sueur was less pleased with the outcome:
"We are quite sure in the commission of the law of the senate that
this text is unconstitutional. Sooner or later, we will see so. But
the question is whether this discussion has eased the pain on both
sides? Has this discussion made the history clearer? Was it beneficial
for diplomatic relations? I'm not sure and I don't believe that this
matter is closed," he said.
Relations between Paris and Ankara have deteriorated. Turkey sees the
move as purely political, as Sarkozy faces a presidential election in
April and May. The bill was proposed by Sarkozy's UMP party. There
are accusations that Sarkozy is using the genocide bill to win the
votes of the large minority of ethnic Armenians living in France,
which numbers more than 500,000.
Some of those Armenians were outside the senate building in Paris,
celebrating what they see as the rightful recognition of what happened
to their countrymen under the Ottoman Turks.