The Nation, Nigeria
July 8 2012
Hollande plans new Armenia ‘genocide law’
French President, Francois Hollande has said he plans a new law to
punish denial that the 1915-16 killing of Armenians was genocide.
A previous law approved by the French parliament was struck down in
February by the Constitutional Council, which said it infringed
freedom of speech.
BBC says Turkey rejects the term “genocide” for the deaths of
Armenians during their deportation by the Ottoman Empire.
The issue has strained Franco-Turkish relations in recent years.
Mr. Hollande’s predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy had also ordered his
government to draft a new law after the old one was struck down.
“Francois Hollande has again expressed his willingness to propose a
bill designed to curb the denial of the Armenian genocide, as he had
said during his campaign and even before,” the Coordinating Council of
Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) told the AFP news agency.
A delegation from the CCAF will meet Mr. Hollande before the end of
the month to discuss what form the new law would take, French media
reports say.
On Thursday, remarks by French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius,
during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart appeared to indicate
that the Constitutional Council’s ruling would make it impossible to
take up the issue again.
However, Mr. Hollande’s office said on Saturday: “The president
expressed his commitments during the campaign. He will keep them.
“We must find a path, a road that allows for a text that is consistent
with the constitution.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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