Arka News Agency, Armenia
Dec 1 2006

ARMENIAN NA SPEAKER THANKS FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS

YEREVAN, December 1. /ARKA/. Speaker of the RA Parliament Tigran
Torosyan held a meeting with Chairman of the French-Armenian
friendship Francois Rochblouan, the group member Alen Muan Bresan,
Secretary Jean Pierre Delanua. During the meeting Speaker Torosyan
thanked the French parliamentarians for their activities for the sake
of Armenia’s interests and friendship between the two nations.
Torosyan pointed out the French Parliament’s great contribution to
the matters of importance for Armenians, particularly to the adoption
of the law stipulating criminal punishment for the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. According to Torosyan, the law is aimed not at
publishing individuals, but reflects a specific attitude to phenomena
like that in order to prevent them in the future.
Torosyan regards as absurd the charges of restriction of freedom of
speech brought against France.
Torosyan said that the people bringing the charges have a very vague
idea of democracy. Speaker Torosyan also welcomed the bill authored
by Francois Roshblaun, which denounces all cases of genocide, because
each of them is a crime against humanity.
The sides also discussed issues of Armenia’s energy sector. The
French parliamentarians showed interest in the shutdown of the
Armenian NPP and in ensuring Armenia’s energy security. Torosyan said
that small hydro-power plants are currently constructed on credits
and grants in Armenia, but they are not capable of meeting the
country’s energy needs. Torosyan reported that programs of
construction of a new NPP are available, but "financial problems
arise in this case." P.T. -0–