Armenian MP hopes for French parliament to adopt Genocide bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian MP Gagik Minasyan commented on Armenian-Turkish normalization process as well as the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial introduced recently to the French parliament.

“Hopefully, French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s words regarding the Armenian Genocide recognition will encourage the French parliament to adopt the bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial regardless of Turkey’s threats,” Minasyan said

He noted discussion of the Armenian issue by Turkish public among the positive results the reconciliation process yielded.

Armenian MP further hailed adoption of H.Res.306 by U.S. House of Representatives calling upon Turkey to return the Christian church properties it stole through genocide.

The French National Assembly is set to vote on the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial on December 22.

On December 7, the Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly has passed the bill introduced by MP Valerie Boyer (UMP). The measure envisages a 45,000 euro fine and a one-year imprisonment for the denial of the Armenian Genocide, which was recognized by France back in 2001.

In the framework of his visit to Armenia, French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for Turkish recognition of the Armenian Genocide and resumption of Armenian-Turkish normalization process.

On December 7, the Judiciary Committee of the French National Assembly has passed the bill on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial introduced by MP Valerie Boyer (UMP).

On December 14, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a landmark religious freedom measure, H.Res.306, calling upon Turkey to return the Christian church properties it stole through genocide, and to end its repression of the surviving members of the vast Christian civilizations that once represented a majority in the territory of the present-day Republic of Turkey.

On August 28, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on the return of Christian and Jewish religious property confiscated after the 1930s. The properties involved include hospitals, orphanage and school buildings, burial grounds.

The Turkish government also intends to pay compensation for the property sold away. The property subject to return includes the former hospital, orphanage, school buildings, cemeteries, shops, ground area, as well as all assets of the Fund “Surb Harutiun” (Holly Resurrection).