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FRENCH LOWER HOUSE APPROVES ARMENIA BILL
www.WorldBulletin.net
Dec 22 2011
Turkey
The bill is expected to put France on a collision course with Turkey,
a strategic ally and trading partner.
The lower house of the French parliament voted on Thursday in favor
of a bill on Armenian allegations on 1915 incidents, ignoring massive
Turkish protests against the measure.
The bill is expected to put France on a collision course with Turkey,
a strategic ally and trading partner.
Turkey says the conflict occurred nearly 100 years ago should be left
to historians.
The bill sets a punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine
of 45,000 euros ($59,000) for those who have different views on
the incidents.
About 50 lawmakers were present during the debates on the bill.
The majority of the lawmakers, including Patrick Ollier, the government
minister in charge of relations with parliament who addressed the
session on behalf of the government, opposed an amendment proposal
which said academic and scientific studies on history should be exempt
from punishment set by the bill. The amendment proposal was eventually
withdrawn by the lawmaker who presented it.
The measure now needs to be passed in the senate, the upper house of
parliament, to go into effect.
Turkey, which vehemently rejects the term "genocide," has campaigned
to get France to abandon the legislation, threatening to withdraw
its ambassador and warning of "grave consequences" to economic and
political ties.
"Laws voted in this chamber cannot be dictated by Ankara," said
Jean-Christophe Lagarde, a deputy from the New Center party, as Turks
demonstrated outside the National Assembly ahead of the vote.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative government backed the measure
despite warnings of Turkey.
www.WorldBulletin.net
Dec 22 2011
Turkey
The bill is expected to put France on a collision course with Turkey,
a strategic ally and trading partner.
The lower house of the French parliament voted on Thursday in favor
of a bill on Armenian allegations on 1915 incidents, ignoring massive
Turkish protests against the measure.
The bill is expected to put France on a collision course with Turkey,
a strategic ally and trading partner.
Turkey says the conflict occurred nearly 100 years ago should be left
to historians.
The bill sets a punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine
of 45,000 euros ($59,000) for those who have different views on
the incidents.
About 50 lawmakers were present during the debates on the bill.
The majority of the lawmakers, including Patrick Ollier, the government
minister in charge of relations with parliament who addressed the
session on behalf of the government, opposed an amendment proposal
which said academic and scientific studies on history should be exempt
from punishment set by the bill. The amendment proposal was eventually
withdrawn by the lawmaker who presented it.
The measure now needs to be passed in the senate, the upper house of
parliament, to go into effect.
Turkey, which vehemently rejects the term "genocide," has campaigned
to get France to abandon the legislation, threatening to withdraw
its ambassador and warning of "grave consequences" to economic and
political ties.
"Laws voted in this chamber cannot be dictated by Ankara," said
Jean-Christophe Lagarde, a deputy from the New Center party, as Turks
demonstrated outside the National Assembly ahead of the vote.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservative government backed the measure
despite warnings of Turkey.