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SARKOZY, HOLLANDE PLEDGE TO ADOPT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 25, 2012 - 02:23 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 24, both presidential candidates of France -
Francois Hollande and current President Nicolas Sarkozy participated
in Armenian Genocide commemorative ceremony at Memorial to Komitas
and victims of Armenian Genocide in Paris. The candidates, however,
didn't meet one another during the event.
Francois Hollande was the first to come to the venue. Welcoming the
participants, he reiterated his pledge to adopt a bill criminalizing
the Armenian genocide denial in case he comes to power.
"Despite any pressure, I will take all necessary steps for passage
of the bill. The Armenian history will never be forgotten as it will
never be disputed," he said.
Sarkozy, too, pledged to adopt a bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide
negation.
"As head of state, I was forced to obey the Constitutional Court's
decision. However, I promise that the new text of the bill will be
submitted already in June," he said.
French Armenian community leaders commented on participation of both
candidates in Genocide commemoration ceremony, given the fact that
Nicolas Sarkozy partook in such an event for the first time in his
term of office, in contrast to his rival Hollande.
"I am glad that both the current and future presidents of France
attended the ceremony," Nouvelles d'Armenie quoted the head of the
Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France Frank Papazian
as saying with irony.
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.
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 25, 2012 - 02:23 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - On April 24, both presidential candidates of France -
Francois Hollande and current President Nicolas Sarkozy participated
in Armenian Genocide commemorative ceremony at Memorial to Komitas
and victims of Armenian Genocide in Paris. The candidates, however,
didn't meet one another during the event.
Francois Hollande was the first to come to the venue. Welcoming the
participants, he reiterated his pledge to adopt a bill criminalizing
the Armenian genocide denial in case he comes to power.
"Despite any pressure, I will take all necessary steps for passage
of the bill. The Armenian history will never be forgotten as it will
never be disputed," he said.
Sarkozy, too, pledged to adopt a bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide
negation.
"As head of state, I was forced to obey the Constitutional Court's
decision. However, I promise that the new text of the bill will be
submitted already in June," he said.
French Armenian community leaders commented on participation of both
candidates in Genocide commemoration ceremony, given the fact that
Nicolas Sarkozy partook in such an event for the first time in his
term of office, in contrast to his rival Hollande.
"I am glad that both the current and future presidents of France
attended the ceremony," Nouvelles d'Armenie quoted the head of the
Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France Frank Papazian
as saying with irony.
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.