Azeri Press Agency
Oct 13 2006

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issues official statement on French
parliament’s decision

[ 13 Oct. 2006 10:17 ]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued a statement
concerning the French parliament’s decision on a bill which would
make genocide denial punishable, Ministry Press Service told APA.

`It is with great surprise and concern that we followed development
of deliberations of the French Parliament’s lower house and ensuing
vote on the legislation to make denial of so-called `Armenian
genocide’, illegal in France. Unfortunately, Armenia and its diaspora
continue to play a very destructive role in the ongoing developments
in the region, instead of contributing to peace and stability.
With full understanding that this initiative needs to be ratified by
the Senate, we urge the French Parliament to apply a more careful,
impartial, and balanced approach.
Taking note of the French Government’s position of disagreement with
this legislative act, we are hopeful that the French Senate will
block this negative trend in full compliance with international
community’s proclaimed interest in re-establishment of security,
stability and mutual confidence climate in this strategically
important region of Europe,’ says the statement.
The French parliament has yesterday adopted a bill making it a crime
to deny that Armenians suffered so-called `genocide’ at the hands of
the Turks. /APA/