Patriarch Mesrob II warns France over Genocide Bill

In the toughest communiqué he has published to date, the Armenian
Patriarch of Turkey, Mesrob II, warned that the Bill put forward by
the French Socialist Party with the aim of punishing those denying the
Armenian Genocide, will be detrimental to the process of the
Turkish-Armenian dialogue.

Mesrob II reminded French parliamentarians that the passing of such a
bill would strengthen nationalist and racist elements on both the
Armenian and Turkish sides, `We do not deem any format that does not
serve the purpose of a dialogue between Armenians and Turks as
acceptable’.

Mesrob II went on to say the following: `Any country, with Turkey and
Armenia at the top, should take care to ensure that barriers
preventing communication between the two countries should be lifted,
not put down, in order for the issue to be studied and
researched. Whatever the reason, any initiative that forbids freedom
of expression will be detrimental to Turkish Armenian relations.’

Monday , 15 May 2006