Genocide bill author offers to renew attempts if motion is rejected

February 9, 2012 - 15:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The author of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, Valerie Boyer offers to renew attempts if the draft law gets rejected.

“I didn’t except such an acute reaction from some senators. The bill reaffirms such global values as freedom, equality and fraternity,” Boyer said in an interview with Nouvelles d'Armenie magazine.

“Media doesn’t seem to be interested in the issue as they keep disclosing the opposing forces of the bill,” French MP said, dwelling on media coverage of the Genocide bill.

Boyer is likely to contact President’s administration in event the French Constitutional Council declares the bill unconstitutional.

Earlier, French President Nicolas Sarkozy reiterated his position, calling on Turkey to face its history.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide. If signed into law, the bill will impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law, which threatens with jail anyone in France who denies that the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turk forces amounted to Genocide. Ankara has already halted political and military cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took effect.