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news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 5 2012
French senator to 'crusade' against genocide bill
Thu 05 January 2012 11:49 GMT | 13:49 Local Time
Senator Nathalie Goulet has vowed to wage a crusade against the
adoption by the French Senate of a law that would criminalize genocide
denial.
The bill, which is expected to be debated in the Senate later this
month, would make it a crime to deny any genocide recognized by
France, including denial that the 1915 killings of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire were genocide.
Senator Nathalie Goulet told French website Turquie-News that she
would start "a crusade against the proposal by Madame Boyer".
She said that she would raise awareness of the issues amongst all
political groups in order to "reframe the debate and bring it back to
the legal arena, away from the counterproductive electioneering into
which it has fallen".
In a press release published by Turquie-News on 5 January, Nathalie
Goulet called on Turkish organizations to trust the Senate and not to
resort to the lobbying practised by their opponents.
"Any attempt at pressure or piracy would harm the cause that we are
defending together. In a democracy, debate is expressed through
argument."
She added: "I understand the anger of the Turkish people and of our
compatriots of Turkish origin living in France, but the Senate debate
should be exemplary. Let's leave pressure and electoral blackmail to
others. Many senators do not know the subject and have not yet decided
how to vote. Let's allow them to take their position and let's trust
the Senate."
She recalled in conclusion that the Senate had voted down a similar text in May.
Nathalie Goulet is an outspoken opponent of the criminalization of
genocide denial and of "memory laws".
Speaking at the end of December, she criticized Patrick Devedjian,
president of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine, for describing
Turkey as a threat.
"It's simply disgraceful and not worthy of a former minister of the
Republic to express himself in this way about a country with which we
have diplomatic relations and which is a major player in international
diplomacy," Goulet said.
"Armenia is not a threat!? Really? The country is poor, a victim of
its policy towards Russia. Yes. But it has been illegally occupying
Azerbaijani territory for 20 years and is to blame for massacres,
notably at Khojaly," she continued.
"Armenia was a victim in 1915, but it has since joined the camp of the
executioners. Armenia should liberate the occupied territories of
Karabakh and free itself from the Soviet yoke. The victims of 1915 do
not justify this aggression!"
She said that if the denial of genocide were criminalized, the victims
of Armenian aggression could seek reparations through the French
courts.
"Everything is not black and white in the Caucasus, but if Mme Boyer's
text is, unfortunately, voted through the Senate and passes through
the filter of the Constitutional Council, I am not worried, as I know
that the victims of Armenian aggression in Karabakh and in the
Azerbaijani territories illegally occupied by Armenia will come and
find recognition and reparation in the French courts."
News.Az
Jan 5 2012
French senator to 'crusade' against genocide bill
Thu 05 January 2012 11:49 GMT | 13:49 Local Time
Senator Nathalie Goulet has vowed to wage a crusade against the
adoption by the French Senate of a law that would criminalize genocide
denial.
The bill, which is expected to be debated in the Senate later this
month, would make it a crime to deny any genocide recognized by
France, including denial that the 1915 killings of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire were genocide.
Senator Nathalie Goulet told French website Turquie-News that she
would start "a crusade against the proposal by Madame Boyer".
She said that she would raise awareness of the issues amongst all
political groups in order to "reframe the debate and bring it back to
the legal arena, away from the counterproductive electioneering into
which it has fallen".
In a press release published by Turquie-News on 5 January, Nathalie
Goulet called on Turkish organizations to trust the Senate and not to
resort to the lobbying practised by their opponents.
"Any attempt at pressure or piracy would harm the cause that we are
defending together. In a democracy, debate is expressed through
argument."
She added: "I understand the anger of the Turkish people and of our
compatriots of Turkish origin living in France, but the Senate debate
should be exemplary. Let's leave pressure and electoral blackmail to
others. Many senators do not know the subject and have not yet decided
how to vote. Let's allow them to take their position and let's trust
the Senate."
She recalled in conclusion that the Senate had voted down a similar text in May.
Nathalie Goulet is an outspoken opponent of the criminalization of
genocide denial and of "memory laws".
Speaking at the end of December, she criticized Patrick Devedjian,
president of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine, for describing
Turkey as a threat.
"It's simply disgraceful and not worthy of a former minister of the
Republic to express himself in this way about a country with which we
have diplomatic relations and which is a major player in international
diplomacy," Goulet said.
"Armenia is not a threat!? Really? The country is poor, a victim of
its policy towards Russia. Yes. But it has been illegally occupying
Azerbaijani territory for 20 years and is to blame for massacres,
notably at Khojaly," she continued.
"Armenia was a victim in 1915, but it has since joined the camp of the
executioners. Armenia should liberate the occupied territories of
Karabakh and free itself from the Soviet yoke. The victims of 1915 do
not justify this aggression!"
She said that if the denial of genocide were criminalized, the victims
of Armenian aggression could seek reparations through the French
courts.
"Everything is not black and white in the Caucasus, but if Mme Boyer's
text is, unfortunately, voted through the Senate and passes through
the filter of the Constitutional Council, I am not worried, as I know
that the victims of Armenian aggression in Karabakh and in the
Azerbaijani territories illegally occupied by Armenia will come and
find recognition and reparation in the French courts."
News.Az