Cyprus News Agency, Nicosia,
13 Oct 06

CYPRUS CRITICAL OF TURKEY, FRANCE OVER GENOCIDE LAW

Nicosia, 13 October: Cypriot government spokesman Khristodhoulos
Pashiardhis said on Friday [13 October] that historical events and
historical truth cannot be distorted, no matter how apt to such
behaviour contemporary Turkey is.

Asked about the law passed by the French National Assembly on the
Armenian genocide, Pashiardhis said this was a matter that
"exclusively concerns Turkey, Ottoman Turkey".

"Historical events and the historical truth can neither be violated
nor distorted, no matter how apt to such violations and distortions
contemporary Turkey is," he said.

The French National Assembly approved a resolution making the denial
of the Armenian genocide a criminal offence, a move that caused
Ankara’s reaction.