Author: Badalian Vardan

FRANCE PASSES ‘GENOCIDE’ BILL

EuroNews
Jan 24 2012
France

After a debate lasting more than seven hours, the French Senate voted
to back a controversial new law making it illegal to refer to the
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as anything other than genocide.

Anyone breaking the law could be fined or imprisoned.

With 127 votes in favour and 86 against, French President Nicolas
Sarkozy has 15 days to approve the bill.

Deputy for the UMP party and the person who proposed the bill, Valerie
Boyer, said it was a tremendous step: “It’s a very important moment,
a great moment for human rights and human dignity. I’m very glad that
parliament has adopted the law today, and I hope that this law move
forward peacefully.”

However, President for the Commission of the Senate and Socialist
Party member Jean-Pierre Sueur was less pleased with the outcome:

“We are quite sure in the commission of the law of the senate that
this text is unconstitutional. Sooner or later, we will see so. But
the question is whether this discussion has eased the pain on both
sides? Has this discussion made the history clearer? Was it beneficial
for diplomatic relations? I’m not sure and I don’t believe that this
matter is closed,” he said.

Relations between Paris and Ankara have deteriorated. Turkey sees the
move as purely political, as Sarkozy faces a presidential election in
April and May. The bill was proposed by Sarkozy’s UMP party. There
are accusations that Sarkozy is using the genocide bill to win the
votes of the large minority of ethnic Armenians living in France,
which numbers more than 500,000.

Some of those Armenians were outside the senate building in Paris,
celebrating what they see as the rightful recognition of what happened
to their countrymen under the Ottoman Turks.

ARMENIA-TURKEY ‘GENOCIDE’ ROW: THE BACKGROUND

EuroNews
Jan 24 2012
France

Whether what happened to the Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman
Empire can be called ‘genocide’ remains contentious – despite the
ruling by the French senate which now makes it an offence to deny
it was.

However, the facts of what took place between 1915-23 are
well-documented by a variety of sources – many of which had no vested
interest in the what happened.

As many as 1.5 million Christian Armenians were massacred or deported,
after trying to use the First World War as an opportunity to escape
repression from the Muslim Ottoman Turks.

The Republic of Turkey, founded after the war, refuses to recognise
the killing of Armenians as ‘genocide’. Instead it argues that both
sides suffered a large amount of casualties during a struggle against
each other.

A 44-metre high memorial near the Armenian capital Yerevan and the
nearby Armenian Genocide Museum built into the hillside commemorate
those killed by the Ottoman Turks. They receive hundreds of thousands
of visitors every year.

EXPERT: AZERBAIJAN MUST COPE WITH STATUS QUO MAINTENANCE

Panorama.am
24/01/2012

“The statement adopted in the aftermath of Sochi-hosted tripartite
meeting means status quo will maintain, and Azerbaijan has to cope
with it,” Sergey Minasyan, deputy director of “Caucasus” institute,
said in a news conference remarking on Medvedev-Sargsyan-Aliyev
tripartite meeting.

According to the expert the agreement adopted during Medvedev’s final
term in office doesn’t mean that Russia may change its position in the
future, as Russia will never voluntarily concede Minsk Group format.

“Positive outcome of the statement is that negotiations and Minsk
Group format will continue,” expert said.

Asked if Russian Foreign Ministry statement urging the sides to avoid
“maximalist manifestations” is a demand from Armenian side to give
up claims for NK status priorities, S. Minasyan said.

“That appeal doesn’t refer to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, it
refers to the peaceful resolution of the conflict,” expert said.

NAREK GALSTYAN: OSCE MINSK GROUP THE ONLY FORMAT FOR KARABAKH TALKS

Panorama.am
24/01/2012

The tripartite meeting in Sochi once again proved that OSCE Minsk
Group is the only format for Karabakh talks, political expert Narek
Galstyan told a news conference in Yerevan, commenting upon the
tripartite meeting between the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani
Presidents held in Sochi on Monday as well as the joint statement
adopted at the meeting.

According to him, the Sochi meeting revealed that Russia has
strengthened its role in conflict settlement.

“Russia remains the main guarantor of peace and the agreements reached
between the sides. From this point of view, I think it is important
that the joint statement contains a provision on prevention and
investigation of border incidents and ceasefire violations,” said
Galstyan, adding that nevertheless we should not pin too much hope
on this agreement.

“Similar agreements had also been reached earlier, but they were
not implemented because of Azerbaijan’s provocative and inadequate
actions,” noted the expert.

TURKISH HYSTERIA IS ON ITS HEIGHT

24.01.12

As French Senate accepted the bill on criminalization of Armenian
Genocide denial, Turkish politicians and journalists reacted
hysterically to this event. They continue speaking about sanctions
by Turkey, which experts do not consider serious. Turkey demands from
France exonomically so no real pressure can take place.

“The French Parliament approved the bill late on Monday, risking more
sanctions from Turkey and complicating an already delicate relationship
with the rising power. Turkey, which sees the allegations of genocide
as a threat to its national honor, has already suspended military,
economic and political ties and briefly recalled its ambassador last
month when the lower house of parliament approved the same bill”,
Today’s Zaman writes.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement today on
the issue. “We strongly condemn this decision, which is problematic
in every aspect and constitutes an example of irresponsibility,
and declare that we will express our reaction against it in every
platform,” the statement said.

“It is obvious that the interpretation of historical events cannot be
determined by the attitude of French politicians who see in themselves
the right to judge other nations on the basis of one-sided views and
declare a judgment on a serious allegation of crime such as genocide,
thereby ignoring the principles of international law,” the Turkish
MFA said, adding that “it is further unfortunate that the historical
and multi-dimensional relations between the Republic of Turkey and
France have been sacrificed to considerations of political agenda in
spite of all our initiatives and warnings, as well as the opinions
of prominent French institutions and jurists.”

FRENCH PARLIAMENT NOT TO APPEAL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL TO CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL

Tert.am
24.01.12

Bernard Accoyer, President of the French National Assembly, refused
to appeal the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide to
the Constitutional Council of France.

The issue of appealing the bill to the Constitutional Council is not
on the agenda, he told journalists.

Bernard Accoyer pointed out the need to explain to Turkish partners
that the bill is not aimed at Turkey despite the fact that they are
of the opposite opinion.

French Senate President Jean-Pierre Bel, President of France Nicolas
Sarkozy and a group of at least 60 MPs can appeal the bill to the
Constitutional Council, reports. However, the
bill was drafted by the Union for a Popular Movement led by French
president and was approved at the the Elysée palace. So the French
leader is most unlikely to refuse to sign the bill into law or appeal
it to the Constitutional Council.

As regards Jean-Pierre Bel, he voiced his support to the bill even
before the Senate vote.

TURKS DO NOT MANAGE TO SPECULATE THE ARMENIAN BILL FROM PACE CHAIR

ARMENPRESS
JANUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: The representatives of the Turkish
and Azerbaijani delegations tried to raise the issue of the bill
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide from the PACE chair,
but they failed, member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Naira
Zohrabyan told Armenpress from Strasburg.

Turks and Azerbaijani failed, as by rotation, the chairs of the sitting
did not allow them to refer to the issue, noting that it concerns the
French Senate and is not involved in the PACE agenda. The chairs of
the sitting repeatedly asked not to distract the attention from the
OSCE agenda.

“So the Turks and Azeries did not manage to speculate the issue for
a regular time and to put into circulation,” said Naira Zohrabyan.

PAST IS NEVER DEAD – FRENCH EXPERT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

NEWS.AM
January 25, 2012 | 02:27

PARIS. – Armenian community of France feels a deep satisfaction from
the decision by the French Senate on the Armenian Genocide bill,
expert at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris Jacques Semelin
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“People always remember all those who died during deportations. I just
recollected William Faulkner’s words ‘the past is never dead. It is
not even past.’ I am not sure about Turkey. I believe that the Turkish
artistic elite will try to raise the Genocide issue. Meantime, it is
not easy for them but they can find support abroad. I am proud that
my recent book Purify and Destroy: The Political Uses of Massacre
and Genocide also was published in Turkish. I expect it will cause
discussions,” French expert and historian said.

REQUEST FOR SAMAST’S RELEASE DISMISSED

BIAnet.org

Jan 24 2012
Turkey

The Court of Appeals rejected the request of Ogun Samast to benefit
from the regulation that the upper limit for the period of arrest for
defendants of heavy crimes is five years. Samast, convicted murder
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink, will remain in prison.

Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center24 January 2012, Tuesday The Court of
Appeals dismissed the application filed by Ogun Samast, convicted
murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, to benefit from the
regulation stipulating that the upper limit for the period of arrest
for defendants of heavy crimes is set at five years.

The Court of Appeals 1st Criminal Office rejected Samast’s request to
be released. Samast was sentenced to imprisonment of 22 years and ten
months on charges of “premeditated murder” and “unlicensed possession
of weapons” on 25 July 2011.

After the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court acquitted all defendants
of the Dink murder trial of charges of “membership in an illegal
organization” on 17 January, it was reported that Yasin Hayal and
Ogun Samast might be released according to Article 102 of the Criminal
Procedure Law (CMK).

Article 102 CMK defines the duration of detention. The limit for the
period of arrest for defendants of heavy crimes is set at five years
and for defendants charged with “terror crimes” at ten years. Thus,
there was the possibility of early release.

Lawyer Cem Halavurt, joint attorney of the Dink family, had told
bianet, “There is the possibility of early release for Samast. He was
handed down a prison sentence of 22 years and ten months. The file does
not include organization charges any more. Hence, the offence committed
fell under the scope of ‘petty crimes’. In this situation, the period
to be served in prison was reduced by one third. Since it was a petty
crime the release is required once five years are exceeded”. (IC/VK)

ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN BILL A WRONG DECISION, SAYS TURKISH AMBASSADOR

Anadolu Agency
Jan 24 2012
Turkey

Turkish Ambassador in Paris, Tahsin Burcuoglu, said late Monday that
the adoption of an Armenian bill at the French Senate on Monday was a
wrong decision.

Speaking to the media in Paris, Ambassador Burcuoglu said that “we are
not responsible for this bill. We have done all we could”.

Asked if he would be recalled to Ankara for “consultations”, Burcuoglu
said that that was one of the options.

The Armenian bill adopted at the French Senate on Monday will
criminalize any denial of Armenian allegations pertaining to the
incidents of 1915 with a prison term of one year and a monetary fine
of 45,000 euros.