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FRENCH SENATE RESCHEDULES DEBATE OVER GENOCIDE DENIAL BILL
Tert.am
11.01.12
The upper house of the French parliament has rescheduled its hearing
over the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Speaking to the Armenian service of RFE/RL, the director of the
Armenian National Committee of France, Hrach Varzhapetyan, said debate
has been postponed to January 24.
Varzhapetyan had earlier told the radio station that the Senate~Rs
administrative council had confirmed January 23 as the day of the
debate.
He said the Senate had been originally scheduled to consider the issue
on January 24 but later decided to hold the hearing a day earlier.
~SAs the plenary session is going to last two days, they decided to
hold it on the 23rd to have more time for discussion and voting,~T
he said, adding that the issue has been officially included in the
Senate~Rs agenda.
As for the proportion of votes, he added: ~SOur current estimates show
that there is a consensus between the ruling right-wing party and
the opposition Socialist Party, so the bill is likely to be passed
with 65% votes in favor,~T he said, not ruling out the possibility
of political changes.
The draft approved by the French National Assembly in late December
envisages a one-year prison sentence and a fine of up to ~@45,000
for anyone publicly denying the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
Turkey gave a tough response to the lower house, recalling its
ambassador from Paris. It is now stepping up its efforts to prevent
the passage of the bill by the Senate.
Tert.am
11.01.12
The upper house of the French parliament has rescheduled its hearing
over the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Speaking to the Armenian service of RFE/RL, the director of the
Armenian National Committee of France, Hrach Varzhapetyan, said debate
has been postponed to January 24.
Varzhapetyan had earlier told the radio station that the Senate~Rs
administrative council had confirmed January 23 as the day of the
debate.
He said the Senate had been originally scheduled to consider the issue
on January 24 but later decided to hold the hearing a day earlier.
~SAs the plenary session is going to last two days, they decided to
hold it on the 23rd to have more time for discussion and voting,~T
he said, adding that the issue has been officially included in the
Senate~Rs agenda.
As for the proportion of votes, he added: ~SOur current estimates show
that there is a consensus between the ruling right-wing party and
the opposition Socialist Party, so the bill is likely to be passed
with 65% votes in favor,~T he said, not ruling out the possibility
of political changes.
The draft approved by the French National Assembly in late December
envisages a one-year prison sentence and a fine of up to ~@45,000
for anyone publicly denying the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
Turkey gave a tough response to the lower house, recalling its
ambassador from Paris. It is now stepping up its efforts to prevent
the passage of the bill by the Senate.