06.10.11 - French president Nicolas Sarkozy at Armenian Genocide Memorial

Will Sarkozy keep his pledge?

January 18, 2012 - 20:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Today, on January 18, Constitutional Commission of the French Senate passed a decision against debating of the bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial, accepting Senators’ solicitation that oppose the aforesaid legislation.

The proposal on rejection of the bill was adopted with 23 votes for, 9 against and 8 abstentions, according to the official website of the French Senate.

The decision stipulates debate of the draft law by the Senate, considering the proposal of the Commission prior to the overall voting.

The proposal aroused no special surprise due to the initial phase of the Genocide bill adoption having evoked déjà feeling.

On October 12, 2006, the National Assembly of France with 106 votes for and 19 against adopted a bill on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial. Then too, the draft law stipulated a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denied this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire. The bill passage, however, was followed by threats from Turkey and its younger brother Azerbaijan regarding breaking ties and freezing military, trade cooperation with France. Proposals to take “austerity measures” towards France were heard.

Then, too, Presidential Candidate Nicolas Sarkozy pledged to foster passage of the bill penalizing Armenian Genocide denial.

In May, 2007, Sarkozy was elected president of France with Armenian community members having backed his candidacy.

However, on May 4, 2008, French Senate with 196 votes against and 74 for blocked the Genocide bill passed by National Assembly in 2006.

An impression is created that the scenario was decided to be applied this time, too. Thus, the French Senate may protract the bill until April, with French presidential elections due on April 22, two days prior to 97th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Three months and it be will be clear whether Nicolas Sarkozy’s pledge was realistic or the French-Armenian community was once again trapped for electoral votes.

Marina Ananikyan / PanARMENIAN News

06.10.11 - French president Nicolas Sarkozy's arrival in Armenia

24 French president Nicolas Sarkozy

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.