Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 14 2006
Envoy admits to Armenian lobby’s influence on Paris
AssA-Irada 14/10/2006 02:00
The French ambassador to Azerbaijan Bernard du Chaffaut has said that
if the latest decision by the National Assembly of France goes into
effect, this could harm the country’s relations with Turkey and
Azerbaijan.
The bill, tabled in the legislature by opposition Socialist Party and
passed Thursday, criminalizes denying the `genocide of Armenians’.
Although the law was passed the assembly, it will not go into effect
unless it is approved by the French parliament’s upper chamber, the
Senate.
Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915, a
claim strongly denied by Turkey.
The envoy told a news conference Friday that he is disappointed with
the adoption of the bill in the lower chamber of parliament,
expressing hope that the measure will not be approved by the Senate.
The measure has sparked off outcry in France as well, he said.
Du Chaffaut emphasized that the fact it passed the lower chamber does
not mean it will be approved, as making any bill law in France
requires a very lengthy procedure. `I hope this procedure will not be
completed.’
He said France’s Constitutional Council may intervene as well. The
body may deem it contradictory to freedom of expression.
`Finally, although the president has no right of veto, he may send it
back for repeated deliberations at the National Assembly.’
Du Chaffaut admitted that the Armenian lobby influences the French
government. `I suspect that the law was supported by some Armenian
voters in some election constituencies.’
The diplomat said France has come under pressure of the European
Union to reject the law.
Du Chaffaut said the latest developments will not lead to a
postponement of French President Jacques Chirac’s visit to Azerbaijan
next year. Such decisions, he said, are up to the presidents, but
said he is confident the visit will take place.
The ambassador said he does not expect tension to escalate in
French-Turkish relations and called on the Turkish Diaspora to
actively struggle against the adoption of the genocide law.
Azerbaijani MPs on Tuesday protested at the bill and forwarded a
relevant appeal to the French legislature.
The Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali has termed the move
as `major injustice against his country that is primitive and
embarrassing’.
A group of the Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party members attempted
to hold a rally outside the French embassy in Baku on Friday in
protest at the adoption of the `genocide’ bill. The protest was
prevented by the police.