HILDA TCHOBOYAN: THE BILL CRIMINALIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL WILL BE PROBABLY PUT ON SENATE AGENDA IN AUTUMN
ArmRadio.am
13.03.2007 17:34
Most probably, the bill criminalizing the negation of the Armenian
Genocide adopted by the French National Assembly will put on the
Senate agenda in October after the parliamentary and presidential
elections in the country. During today’s press conference Charwoman
of the European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboyan said it hardly
possible for the resolution to be put on Senate agenda immediately
after the parliamentary elections. "Most probably, it will be included
in the autumn agenda. We shall do everything possible to have the
bill be included in the Senate agenda," she assured, not excluding
that there will be strong resistance.
According to Hilda Tchoboyan, after the adoption in the French National
assembly the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide met strong
resistance in France, especially on the part of historian. "They were
protesting that politics should not be mixed with the historic reality,
which left its trace in the formation of public opinion. Definitely,
Turkish lobbyist organizations and interested forces stand behind
the creation of such atmosphere," said Hilda, adding that a new wave
has escalated, which counters the first one. "Some intellectuals
stand behind this new wave, according to which the genocide is not
a historic reality: it is a heavy and irreversible all-human crime."
The Chairwoman of the European Armenian Federation noted also that the
three strong presidential candidates of France do not deny the fact
of the Armenian Genocide. According to her, no one in France denies
that there was genocide and everyone agrees that France must adopt a
law on the Armenian Genocide, but the question today is the issue of
punishment. "Although the Socialist candidate has not addressed the
law personally, it can be supposed that he will not stand against the
bill authored by his party. Nevertheless, positions differ before and
after elections, therefore, we cannot assert anything definitely. UMP
candidate Nicola Sarkozy personally opposes Turkey’s accession to the
European Union, and in general his stance is beneficial for us. Nicola
Sarkozy has not directly expressed his position on the criminalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial, but he says genocide denial should
be punishable. President of the center-right party minds Turkey’s
accession to the EU, but opposes also the ratification of the law,"
Hilda Tchoboyan mentioned.
In her words, in general, the Armenian community stands against
Turkey’s accession to the European Union. Therefore, it will support
the candidate whose opposition to this accession turns out to be
the strongest.