FM: “WE HOPE THE ARMENIAN BILL WON’T BE PASSED BY THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT”

Star
Turkish Press
May 22 2006

Press Review

A bill to criminalize denial of the so-called Armenian genocide
submitted by France’s Socialist Party is set today to be debated and
put to a vote by the French Parliament. Speaking at a weekly press
conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Namik Tan yesterday said
that Turkey’s expectations were clear, adding, “We hope that the
Armenian bill, which could seriously damage deep-rooted historical
relations between Turkey and France, won’t be approved by the French
Parliament.” Tan expressed Turkey’s satisfaction that the bill
aiming to introduce prison terms and fines for those who question
the Armenian genocide claims is opposed both by circles in the French
government and among the public. While declining to publicly comment
on announcements over the controversial issue in order not to attract
criticism from the Armenian lobby, French President Jacques Chirac,
the French Prime Ministry and the French Foreign Ministry are silently
lobbying to convince ruling Union for Popular Movement (UMP) deputies
to vote against the bill.