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FRENCH SENATORS EXPECTED TO VOTE "ARMENIAN" GENOCIDE BILL
Kuwait News Agency
http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2216605&language=en
Jan 23 2012
PARIS, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- French Senators are expected later Monday
to approve a parliamentary bill to enforce stiff penalties on anyone
questioning the reality of the alleged "Armenian genocide" of 1915.
A law recognizing the "genocide" was passed here in 2001, but ten
years later lawmakers, inspired by President Nicolas Sarkozy, have
gone one step further and criminalised negation of the event, which
Turkey disputes.
Ankara says that around 300,000-500,000 Armenians indeed perished
during the World War I period, but Turks maintain they either died
from famine or in combat against Turkish military forces.
Turkish authorities have reacted angrily to the French parliamentary
action that would mete out a one-year prison term and a USD 60,000
fine for denying the Armenian deaths as genocide.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Paris in December and brought an
abrupt halt to bilateral visits and military cooperation. French naval
vessels are also forbidden to call at Turkish ports, even though the
two nations are in the NATO organisation and are also fighting on
the same side in the war in Afghanistan.
While French political leaders have sought to calm the tensions
with Ankara, Turkey has warned that more sanctions are likely to be
taken against France after the Senate vote Monday if, as expected,
the Upper House approves the Armenian law.
French lawmakers this week stressed that the bill is for all genocides
and not exclusively for the Armenian case, but this has done little
to placate the furious Turks and their response. (end) jk.asa KUNA
231351 Jan 12NNNN
From: A. Papazian
Kuwait News Agency
http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2216605&language=en
Jan 23 2012
PARIS, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- French Senators are expected later Monday
to approve a parliamentary bill to enforce stiff penalties on anyone
questioning the reality of the alleged "Armenian genocide" of 1915.
A law recognizing the "genocide" was passed here in 2001, but ten
years later lawmakers, inspired by President Nicolas Sarkozy, have
gone one step further and criminalised negation of the event, which
Turkey disputes.
Ankara says that around 300,000-500,000 Armenians indeed perished
during the World War I period, but Turks maintain they either died
from famine or in combat against Turkish military forces.
Turkish authorities have reacted angrily to the French parliamentary
action that would mete out a one-year prison term and a USD 60,000
fine for denying the Armenian deaths as genocide.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Paris in December and brought an
abrupt halt to bilateral visits and military cooperation. French naval
vessels are also forbidden to call at Turkish ports, even though the
two nations are in the NATO organisation and are also fighting on
the same side in the war in Afghanistan.
While French political leaders have sought to calm the tensions
with Ankara, Turkey has warned that more sanctions are likely to be
taken against France after the Senate vote Monday if, as expected,
the Upper House approves the Armenian law.
French lawmakers this week stressed that the bill is for all genocides
and not exclusively for the Armenian case, but this has done little
to placate the furious Turks and their response. (end) jk.asa KUNA
231351 Jan 12NNNN
From: A. Papazian