VATICAN ENVOY: FRENCH MPS WHO VOTED FOR THE BILL CRIMINALIZING DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DON’T KNOW THE ESSENCE OF PROBLEM

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 27 2006

The Envoy of Vatican considers that the French MPs who voted in favor
of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide don’t
know the essence of the problem, said Mons. Georges Marovitch, the
press-secretary of Vatican and spokesman of Turkish bishops.

According to EUOBSERVER, the Vatican envoy noted that the bill is a
result of political discussions. The press-secretary of Vatican hopes
that the bill will not pass the hearings in the Senate, otherwise it
will be a big mistake. Turks themselves acknowledge that Armenians
were slaughtered, but it wasn’t a genocide. He emphasized that it is
for historians, and not politicians to take up the issue.

The source also informs about a mass protest rally in Istanbul against
the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey.