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FRENCH ENVOY SUMMONED TO AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY
Gabriel Keller
News.Az
Thu 19 January 2012 14:31 GMT | 14:31 Local Time
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has summoned French Ambassador
Gabriel Keller over a bill on genocide denial.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov conveyed to the ambassador
Azerbaijan's protest at the French Senate's forthcoming discussion of
a bill on criminalizing the denial of genocide, visiting Turkish MP
Necdet Unuvar told journalists in Baku.
If passed on 23 January, the bill will make it a crime to deny any
genocide recognized by France. This includes denial that the 1915
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were genocide.
Unuvar, who is co-chair of the Turkey-Azerbaijan interparliamentary
friendship group, mentioned the ambassador's summons when summing up
Azerbaijan's response to the bill.
"We have seen protests from the Azerbaijani people against the issue
to be discussed in the French parliament and we are grateful for
this," Unuvar said.
"Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations have started joint
work in France. Our embassies in Paris will work together on the
issue. The committee on international relations of the Azerbaijani
parliament has sent a protest letter to the French Senate, Deputy
Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov has summoned the French ambassador to
Baku and expressed his protest," the Turkish MP said.
He said that France's withdrawal as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, the international body mediating a solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, would be
favourable for Azerbaijan, the region and even Armenia.
Unuvar added that Turkey had always supported and would continue to
support Azerbaijan.
"We closed the border with Armenia in protest at the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories," he said.
Unuvar said he had met Azerbaijani officials, parliamentarians and
journalists during his Baku trip.
From: Baghdasarian
Gabriel Keller
News.Az
Thu 19 January 2012 14:31 GMT | 14:31 Local Time
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has summoned French Ambassador
Gabriel Keller over a bill on genocide denial.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov conveyed to the ambassador
Azerbaijan's protest at the French Senate's forthcoming discussion of
a bill on criminalizing the denial of genocide, visiting Turkish MP
Necdet Unuvar told journalists in Baku.
If passed on 23 January, the bill will make it a crime to deny any
genocide recognized by France. This includes denial that the 1915
killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire were genocide.
Unuvar, who is co-chair of the Turkey-Azerbaijan interparliamentary
friendship group, mentioned the ambassador's summons when summing up
Azerbaijan's response to the bill.
"We have seen protests from the Azerbaijani people against the issue
to be discussed in the French parliament and we are grateful for
this," Unuvar said.
"Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations have started joint
work in France. Our embassies in Paris will work together on the
issue. The committee on international relations of the Azerbaijani
parliament has sent a protest letter to the French Senate, Deputy
Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov has summoned the French ambassador to
Baku and expressed his protest," the Turkish MP said.
He said that France's withdrawal as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, the international body mediating a solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, would be
favourable for Azerbaijan, the region and even Armenia.
Unuvar added that Turkey had always supported and would continue to
support Azerbaijan.
"We closed the border with Armenia in protest at the occupation of
Azerbaijani territories," he said.
Unuvar said he had met Azerbaijani officials, parliamentarians and
journalists during his Baku trip.
From: Baghdasarian