Turkey’s recognition of Genocide will turn tragic page of 1915 – French MPDecember 22, 2011 - 13:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Only Turkey’s acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide will turn the tragic page of 1915 events, chairperson of France-Armenia interparliamentary friendship group said. “I understand the pain of French Armenians. The deliberate massacre of Armenians in 1915 under Yougn Turks government must be acknowledged,” he told the French National Assembly. “Distortion of history and annihilation of cultural heritage remain unpunished. As a sovereign state France cannot keep silent.” MP Jean-Paul Lecoq, in turn, stressed that France must suppress the policy of denial. “This issue should not turn into a political tool. We are openly discussing the crimes France committed in the past,” Lecoq said. Today, December 22, the French parliament is to debate the bill, which envisages a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros for those who publicly deny the Armenian Genocide in France. Turkey has piled pressure on France to drop the law ahead of the vote, with President Abdullah Gul and a Turkish delegation to Paris warning its adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and have economic consequences. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu threatened to introduce a bill on “the genocide committed by France in Algeria, where 45000 local residents died in 1945.” PACE President Mevlut Cavusoglu laid “the responsibility of possible worsening of relations between Paris and Ankara on Nicolas Sarkozy.” Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |