Agence France Presse — English
October 13, 2006 Friday

French historians come out against Armenian ‘genocide’ vote

A grouping of French historians on Friday issued a joint statement
condemning a vote by French MPs to adopt a new law which would punish
anybody who denied that the 1915-1917 massacres of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks constituted genocide.

The bill, which was adopted by France’s lower house of parliament
Thursday and sent on to the upper house for debate, was "a real
provocation", the group, calling itself Freedom for History, said.

They said they intended to call on President Jacques Chirac to block
the bill if the upper house also voted in favour.

"So deep is the feeling of solidarity that we have for the victims of
history, we are rising in solemn protest," they wrote, adding that
the bill represented an "ebb of democratic freedoms".

The bill envisages a one-year prison term and a fine of up to 45,000
euros (56,000 dollars) on anybody who denies that the Ottomans
committed genocide against the Armenians as their empire fell apart
in World War I.

Turkey, the modern successor to the Ottoman Empire, has reacted with
fury to the bill, and threatened economic reprisals against French
firms.