Author: Kalantarian Kevo

MILLI MAJLIS TO WAIT FOR FRENCH CONSTITUTIONAL COURT’S RULING ON CRIMINALIZING DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Azerbaijan Business Center
Feb 1 2012

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. At today’s opening meeting of the spring session
the Azerbaijani MPs have discussed the adoption of the law by the
French Senate criminalizing the denial of the “genocide” of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-17.

MP Siyavush Novruzov suggested the ruling party and the opposition to
come forward with a consolidated position as solution of this matter
is a problem of everyone.

Parliament speaker Ogtay Asadov stressed that the government and
Milli Majlis had made every effort to prevent the decision of the
French Senate.

“Now we have to await the decision of the Constitutional Court of
France in respect of the law to plan our next steps,” the speaker said.

MP Ganira Pashayeva proposed Milli Majlis to address to the Turkish
counterparts to recognize the destroying the residents of Khojaly by
Armenians as genocide as Azerbaijanis by Armenians.

“If, however, France will pass a law criminalizing the denial of
genocide, one should reconsider the question of France’s participation
in the OSCE Minsk Group on Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno
Garabagh confict,” she said.

NOW IS THE TIME TO KEEP QUIET
by Mehmet Ali Birand

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 2 2012
Turkey

In France, it could have been difficult to send the “Armenian genocide
denial law” to the French Constitutional Council, but there was a
probability. It was certainly not expected to be sent with so many
signatures.

The signatures of only 60 senators would have been sufficient. At
first, signatures arrived with difficulty. Then, suddenly, numbers
soared. Seventy-seven senators and additionally 65 parliamentarians
signed. This figure must have so annoyed the French President Nicolas
Sarkozy that he had a fierce reaction. Despite that, there are people
who even claim the Elysee Palace did not put enough pressure.

What will happen after this?

The Constitutional Council must make a decision by Feb. 29. It will
look for answers related to two topics:

1. Should there be a law regarding the commemorations, or is it
sufficient that Parliament makes a statement?

There are several “commemoration laws” waiting before the French
Parliament. There are many motions that call to account for past
wrongs, such as those of the Bosnian immigrants, or the French soldiers
who lost their lives in Algeria. If the “denial law” is accepted,
then the job of those waiting in line will be easier; several laws
calling the past to account will be processed one after the other. The
Constitutional Council will shed light on this matter.

2. Is the “denial law” in compliance with the French constitution?

The council has three options: (a) To reject the petition and decide
that the law is in compliance with the constitution; (b) totally
reject the law; (c) partially reject the law.

If option B or C is accepted, the law will be revoked and the
whole procedure will start again. In other words, first it has to
pass in the Lower House of Parliament and then it will be brought
to the Senate. And because all of this cannot be rushed before the
presidential elections in May, we will not hear anything of a “denial
law” until next spring.

Keep quiet until Feb. 29

The stage that has been reached today is not a victory for Turkey
and neither does it mean that the “denial law” has been avoided. A
waiting period of one month has been entered, that’s all.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s approach after the “denial law”
passed in the Senate created a very positive echo both in Paris and
in the international public. Erdogan did not yell or raise his voice;
on the contrary, he acted very cool. I think he put on a very wise
stance. I’m sure he will continue with this attitude from now on.

My concern is over the performances of some politicians who want to
carry their names to newspaper headlines and who think that what they
do or say will please the prime minister. Those Cabinet ministers or
those Justice and Development Party (AKP) politicians should know that
if they start threatening and start saying things like “France will
pay for this. We will give them hell. We will implement embargoes…”

they will not be able to scare anybody; just the opposite, they will
make the French Constitutional Council angry and maybe reactionary.

Let’s not forget that even though the Constitutional Council will
examine the law from a legal point of view, there will inevitably be
a share of political approach in it.

Please keep quiet for a while.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER THANKS FRENCH MPS AND SENATORS APPEALING ARMENIAN LAW AT CONSTITUTIONAL COUNCIL

Anadolu Agency
Jan 30 2012
Turkey

BELGRADE (A.A) -Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu thanked
French parliamentarians and senators who appealed the law on Armenian
allegations at French Constitutional Council.

Davutoglu, who is currently holding meetings in Belgrade, told AA on
Tuesday [31 January] that the parliamentarians and senators claimed
freedom of thought, and he wished Turkish-French friendship would
win in the end.

Now what we have to do is to wait for the decision of French
Constitutional Council, he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, French senators appealed the law penalizing denial
of the Armenian allegations on the Ottoman era incidents of 1915 that
was adopted at the French Senate.

In all, 65 MPs and 72 senators signed to appeal the law at the French
Constitutional Council.

The council is expected to make public its decision within a month.

The French Parliament and Senate enacted the bill last week.

The law penalizes denial of the Armenian allegations with a prison
term of one year and a fine of 45,000 euro.

TURKISH PRESIDENT BELIEVES FRENCH COURT TO MAKE RIGHT DECISION ON LAW CRIMINALIZING DENIAL OF ARMENIAN CLAIMS

Anadolu Agency
Jan 31 2012
Turkey

DUBAI (A.A) -January 31, 2012 -Turkey’s president expressed belief on
Tuesday [31 January] that the French Constitutional Council would make
the right decision on the law penalizing denial of Armenian allegations
on the Ottoman era incidents of 1915, adopted at the French Senate.

President Abdullah Gul said he did not think that the French would
overshadow their own country.

“Now the Constitutional Court will make the right decision,” Gul told
reporters in Dubai.

Earlier on Tuesday, French senators appealed on Tuesday the law
penalizing denial of the Armenian allegations on the Ottoman era
incidents of 1915 adopted at the French Senate.

65 MPs and 72 senators signed to appeal the law at the French
Constitutional Council.

The council is expected to make public its decision within a month.

The French Parliament and Senate enacted the bill last week.

The law penalizes denial of the Armenian allegations with a prison
term of one year and a fine of 45,000 euros.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

AMBASSADOR OF ARMENIA TO LEBANON VISITS HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

On Tuesday 31 January 2011, Ambassador Ashod Kotcharian met with the
Catholicos in his office.

Catholicos Aram I and the Ambassador talked about the forthcoming
International Conference on Genocide organized by the Catholicosate from 23
to 25 February 2012. They also discussed the recent visit of the Foreign
Minister of Turkey to Lebanon and issues related to Armenia-Diaspora
relations.

In the end, His Holiness Aram I congratulated the Armenia’s National Army on
the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

L’ARMENIE MET FIN AU CHANGEMENT D’HEURE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 2 fevrier 2012

Le gouvernement armenien a annonce qu’il arretera de proceder au
chagement d’heure.

Le gouvernement a approuve les amendements legaux qui suppriment les
changements de fuseau horaire saisonniers. Ils ont ete rediges par
deux deputes du parti Republicain (HHK).

Comme cela a ete le cas dans l’Union Europeenne, les horloges en
Armenie ont pendant des decennies ete avancees en mars et retardees en
octobre respectivement. Le pays est actuellement en avance de quatre
heures par rapport au meridien de Greenwich (GMT) et de trois heures
epar rapport au Temps Central europeen. Moscou et la grande majorite
de la Russie sont dans le meme fuseau horaire.

” Nous avons effectue des calculs tout a fait serieux et des
evaluations economiques et nous avons ete convaincu que cette mesure
aura un impact positif … la decision finale a ete prise par le
gouvernement aujourd’hui ” a dit le Ministre de l’Economie Tigran
Davtian après une reunion du cabinet. ” Elle sera formalisee par les
changements [proposes] de la loi “.

” Je pense que cette decision rendra notre vie plus facile et sera
aussi bonne pour l’economie ” a dit M.Davtian aux journalistes. ”
C’est plus commode d’etre proche en termes de temps, de nos partenaires
commerciaux et des investisseurs “.

La decision signifie que la difference d’horaire entre l’Armenie et
l’Europe occidentale et centrale sera reduite a deux heures de mars
a octobre.

GENOCIDE : SARKOZY CRAINT LE RECOURS

Le Figaro

31 janvier 2012
France

Le president Nicolas Sarkozy a declare mardi aux parlementaires
de la majorite que le recours au Conseil constitutionnel contre le
texte penalisant la negation du genocide armenien “ne (lui) rend pas
service”, ont indique plusieurs senateurs UMP.

Le chef de l’Etat a exprime notamment le risque que si la proposition
de loi etait annulee, il y ait ensuite un recours contre la
penalisation de la negation de la Shoah, selon les memes sources.

DES PARLEMENTAIRES VEULENT SAISIR LES SAGES SUR LES LOIS MEMORIELLES

L’Express

27 janvier 2012
France

Des deputes et senateurs de tous bords politiques tentent de signer
un recours auprès du Conseil constitutionnel sur la loi penalisant,
entre autres, la negation du genocide armenien.

Le texte penalisant la negation du genocide armenien, bientôt a l’ordre
du jour du Conseil constitutionnel? C’est ce qu’espère la senatrice
UMP, Fabienne Keller, qui a annonce, ce vendredi, avoir signe le
recours auprès des Sages. Une initiative lancee par le president du
groupe RDSE (a majorite radicaux de gauche) Jacques Mezard.

Il faut la signature de 60 senateurs pour pouvoir saisir les Sages.

Jacques Mezard a dit vendredi “etre confiant” dans le succès de son
entreprise. Des senateurs des six groupes politiques du Senat ont deja
appose leur signature sur ce recours. A l’UMP, outre Fabienne Keller,
Alain Fouche et Jean-Jacques Hyest ont revele avoir signe et indique
que d’autres de leurs collègues avaient fait de meme.

Fabienne Keller souligne dans un communique qu'”opposee par principe
aux lois memorielles”, elle avait choisi de ne pas prendre part au
vote lundi dernier lorsque la proposition de loi UMP a ete votee par
le Senat.

“Cette loi risque d’entraver le travail des enseignants et des
historiens. Laissons-les faire le travail de recherche essentiel pour
parvenir a une explication et une comprehension precise et solide
des evenements”, insiste-t-elle. Pour la senatrice du Bas-Rhin,
“ce travail scientifique est le prealable necessaire a une memoire
apaisee et assumee”.

Le Rassemblement democratique et social europeen (RDSE), comme le
groupe ecologiste, s’etait prononce en bloc lundi contre le texte qui
a cependant ete adoptee par une majorite de senateurs. Il a entame
dès mardi matin la collecte des soixante signatures necessaires pour
la saisine des Sages.

86 senateurs ont vote contre la PPL et 126 pour. 236 senateurs ont
pris part au vote sur un effectif global de 347 senateurs (un siège
est vacant a la suite d’une invalidation electorale).

Le Conseil constitutionnel peut censurer une loi qu’il juge contraire
a la Constitution, s’il est saisi par 60 deputes, 60 senateurs, le chef
de l’Etat, le president de l’Assemblee nationale ou celui du Senat.

LOI SUR LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN : J’ESPERE QUE D’AUTRES PAYS SUIVRONT CET EXEMPLE

nouvelobs.com

27 janvier 2012
France

LE PLUS. La France reconnaît desormais officiellement deux genocides,
celui des Juifs pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale et celui des
Armeniens. La penalisation du second, votee lundi par le Senat,
rejouit Tatev Harutyunyan, Armenienne et etudiante en droit a Erevan.

Par Tatev Harutyunyan Etudiante, presidente du CLEF Edite par Melanie
Chaluleau

Le vote de la loi sur la penalisation de la negation des genocides
a rejoui notre peuple, les Armeniens.

Je suis très heureuse que la loi ait ete votee par le Senat francais
lundi dernier. Elle est très importante pour le respect de la memoire
de nos victimes. D’une certaine manière, cette loi va attenuer la
douleur de nos ancetres, victimes du genocide. C’est aussi une victoire
contre le mensonge et la re-ecriture de l’Histoire, qui entraînent
une veritable souffrance pour notre peuple. Cela empechera d’effacer
les Armeniens de l’Histoire.

Cette loi a prouve encore une fois la grande humanite de la France. Je
pense que d’autres pays europeens suivront cet exemple. Je l’espère.

Il faut que tout le monde reconnaisse ce crime contre l’humanite et
que toute personne le niant soit condamnee.

Cette loi a deja change beaucoup de choses dans le quotidien de tous
les Armeniens. Notre peuple est devenu beaucoup confiant en l’avenir
et surtout, rempli d’espoir. Nous ne sommes plus seuls a lutter pour
la reconnaissance du genocide par la Turquie.

L’Armenie est un pays en voie de developpement et c’est avec l’aide
de pays developpes comme la France que nous pourrons avancer.

Malgre tout, il y aura des consequences. Dans un premier temps le vote
de cette loi va deteriorer non seulement les relations entre Armeniens
et Turcs, mais aussi entre Turcs et Francais. Mais je pense qu’au bout
d’un moment, quand d’autres pays europeens suivront l’exemple de la
France et voteront cette loi, la Turquie sera obligee de reconnaître
le genocide des Armeniens. Ainsi, le conflit entre pays voisins,
l’Armenie et la Turquie, sera resolu.

TURKISH AMBASSADOR: SOME FORCES WANT TO HARM RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

Trend
Jan 30 2012
Azerbaijan

There is a feeling that the French and Armenians have been left behind,
and some other forces want to harm relations between Azerbaijan and
Turkey, and they should be ashamed, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Hulusi Kilic said at event dedicated to 20th anniversary of diplomatic
relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

“People with bad intentions under the guidance and direction of others
want to harm relations between the two countries” Kilic said.

On Jan.23, after eight hours of discussion, the French Senate
voted for adoption of the law criminalizing denial of the so-called
“Armenian genocide”.

Some Turkish media unfairly belittle the reaction of Azerbaijan and
blame it in no responding to the adoption of the law.

Kilinc noted that Azerbaijan opposes the adoption of this law together
with Turkey. The Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, Milli
Majlis (parliament), and civil society organizations have expressed
their protest.

“The instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey states
that in a country where there is no embassy of Azerbaijan, the Turkish
embassies must perform the mission,” Kilic said.

Kilinc said, very important meetings and visits have been held between
Azerbaijan and Turkey for over the past 20 years.

“Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline project became the project of
century thanks to the national leader Heydar Aliyev. Baku – Tbilisi –
Kars is also one of the projects of the century” Kilinc said.

Kilinc noted that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey
has exceeded $3 billion in 2011.