Tweet
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS 'FACT OF HISTORY AND NOTHING TO DO WITH ELECTION'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/armenia/8969855/Armenian-ge nocide-is-fact-of-history-and-nothing-to-do-with-election.html
11:08AM GMT 21 Dec 2011
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS A "FACT OF HISTORY" AND A PROPOSED FRENCH
LAW MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO DENY THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FORTHCOMING
ELECTIONS, FRANCE'S MINISTER FOR EUROPE HAS SAID.
Armenian genocide is 'fact of history and nothing to do with election'
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire
"Today all peoples must be lucid and courageous in looking at their
history. It has been nearly 100 years since the Armenian genocide took
place, those responsible are dead, it is simply a matter of recognising
a fact of history," European Affairs Minister Jean Leonetti told
Radio Classique.
The French parliament is to debate the bill, which would see anyone
in France who publicly denies the genocide facing a year in jail
and a fine of 45,000 euros (£38,000), on Thursday and is expected to
approve it.
Turkey has piled pressure on France to drop the law ahead of the
vote, with President Abdullah Gul and a Turkish delegation to Paris
on Tuesday warning its adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and
have economic consequences.
Turkish officials have accused authorities of backing the bill to win
votes with France's Armenian minority, estimated to number between
300,000 and 500,000 people, ahead of presidential and parliamentary
elections next year.
But Mr Leonetti noted that the opposition Socialists were planning
to back the bill along with the ruling UMP party.
"If this was to win votes, I don't think the opposition would vote
(for the law). But the Socialists will vote for this bill, which
comes from a deputy, not from the government," he said.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the term genocide and says between 300,000 and
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died in combat or
from starvation when Armenians rose up and sided with invading
Russian forces.
France recognised the killings as genocide in 2001.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/armenia/8969855/Armenian-ge nocide-is-fact-of-history-and-nothing-to-do-with-election.html
11:08AM GMT 21 Dec 2011
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS A "FACT OF HISTORY" AND A PROPOSED FRENCH
LAW MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO DENY THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FORTHCOMING
ELECTIONS, FRANCE'S MINISTER FOR EUROPE HAS SAID.
Armenian genocide is 'fact of history and nothing to do with election'
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire
"Today all peoples must be lucid and courageous in looking at their
history. It has been nearly 100 years since the Armenian genocide took
place, those responsible are dead, it is simply a matter of recognising
a fact of history," European Affairs Minister Jean Leonetti told
Radio Classique.
The French parliament is to debate the bill, which would see anyone
in France who publicly denies the genocide facing a year in jail
and a fine of 45,000 euros (£38,000), on Thursday and is expected to
approve it.
Turkey has piled pressure on France to drop the law ahead of the
vote, with President Abdullah Gul and a Turkish delegation to Paris
on Tuesday warning its adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and
have economic consequences.
Turkish officials have accused authorities of backing the bill to win
votes with France's Armenian minority, estimated to number between
300,000 and 500,000 people, ahead of presidential and parliamentary
elections next year.
But Mr Leonetti noted that the opposition Socialists were planning
to back the bill along with the ruling UMP party.
"If this was to win votes, I don't think the opposition would vote
(for the law). But the Socialists will vote for this bill, which
comes from a deputy, not from the government," he said.
Armenia says up to 1.5 million of its people were killed during World
War I by forces belonging to Turkey's former Ottoman Empire.
Turkey rejects the term genocide and says between 300,000 and
500,000 Armenians, and at least as many Turks, died in combat or
from starvation when Armenians rose up and sided with invading
Russian forces.
France recognised the killings as genocide in 2001.