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Zaman Online, Turkey
Oct 13 2006
Armenian Bill's Passage Depends on Government
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Friday, October 13, 2006
zaman.com
Although the French parliament has approved a bill making it a crime
to deny the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey during World War I,
the Senate will also have to ratify it before the bill becomes law.
But for it to become an item on the agenda of the Senate, the bill
must be approved by the government, which seems very unlikely as
President Jacques Chirac does not look favorably on the bill.
If the present government refuses to endorse the bill, Francois
Holland, secretary-general of the opposition Socialist Party, has
vowed to make the bill a law in 2007 if they are in power.
Meanwhile, Armenians are pressing for the bill to make it to the
Senate before the legislative period ends.
There are three ways a bill that has passed in the French parliament
can appear on the agenda of the Senate.
The first is if the government approves and sends it to the Senate.
The second is if the Presidential Board of the Senate calls for a
motion.
First Opportunity on Nov.8
The Socialist Party will make a request for the bill to be on the
agenda of the Nov.8 meeting of the board.
But since the party in power occupies the majority of the chairs in
the Senate Board, the government must also endorse the bill.
The third way to make a bill an agenda item is by demanding an
emergency debate.
This demand can only be made by the Commission of Legal Affairs,
which is at the receiving end of the bill.
Parallel to the majority arithmetic of the Senate, the government
party has the final say in commissions, making it a difficult task
for the bill to become an agenda item in the upcoming term.
Armenians Focus on Elections
Patrik Devedjian, an Armenian-origin deputy who spoke to Zaman, said
that it was difficult for the bill to become law during the present
legislative period and could be postponed until next year.
The French Assembly will finish its work early in February because of
the presidential and general elections to be held in the spring.
Alexis Govdjian, president of the Council of Armenian Associations,
noted that they would make attempts in the upcoming days to put the
bill on the agenda of the Senate before the elections.
Referring to the genocide law passed in 2001, he promised to exert as
much effort on this bill.
The bill needs to be endorsed by the Senate without any amendments.
If a motion for a change regarding the text is made, it will be sent
back to the parliament.
The president, the final authority, can send the bill to the
Constitutional Court or the parliament if necessary.
After the endorsement by the Senate, the president of the parliament,
along with 60 senators apart from the president, can submit the bill
to the Constitutional Court.
Oct 13 2006
Armenian Bill's Passage Depends on Government
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Friday, October 13, 2006
zaman.com
Although the French parliament has approved a bill making it a crime
to deny the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey during World War I,
the Senate will also have to ratify it before the bill becomes law.
But for it to become an item on the agenda of the Senate, the bill
must be approved by the government, which seems very unlikely as
President Jacques Chirac does not look favorably on the bill.
If the present government refuses to endorse the bill, Francois
Holland, secretary-general of the opposition Socialist Party, has
vowed to make the bill a law in 2007 if they are in power.
Meanwhile, Armenians are pressing for the bill to make it to the
Senate before the legislative period ends.
There are three ways a bill that has passed in the French parliament
can appear on the agenda of the Senate.
The first is if the government approves and sends it to the Senate.
The second is if the Presidential Board of the Senate calls for a
motion.
First Opportunity on Nov.8
The Socialist Party will make a request for the bill to be on the
agenda of the Nov.8 meeting of the board.
But since the party in power occupies the majority of the chairs in
the Senate Board, the government must also endorse the bill.
The third way to make a bill an agenda item is by demanding an
emergency debate.
This demand can only be made by the Commission of Legal Affairs,
which is at the receiving end of the bill.
Parallel to the majority arithmetic of the Senate, the government
party has the final say in commissions, making it a difficult task
for the bill to become an agenda item in the upcoming term.
Armenians Focus on Elections
Patrik Devedjian, an Armenian-origin deputy who spoke to Zaman, said
that it was difficult for the bill to become law during the present
legislative period and could be postponed until next year.
The French Assembly will finish its work early in February because of
the presidential and general elections to be held in the spring.
Alexis Govdjian, president of the Council of Armenian Associations,
noted that they would make attempts in the upcoming days to put the
bill on the agenda of the Senate before the elections.
Referring to the genocide law passed in 2001, he promised to exert as
much effort on this bill.
The bill needs to be endorsed by the Senate without any amendments.
If a motion for a change regarding the text is made, it will be sent
back to the parliament.
The president, the final authority, can send the bill to the
Constitutional Court or the parliament if necessary.
After the endorsement by the Senate, the president of the parliament,
along with 60 senators apart from the president, can submit the bill
to the Constitutional Court.