Turkey plans to send ambassador back to Paris to fight Genocide bill

January 3, 2012 - 13:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey plans to send its ambassador to France, who was recalled to Ankara for consultations in the wake of French National Assembly’s approval of a bill seeking to penalize denial of the Armenian Genocide, back to Paris to step up efforts to prevent the approval of the bill by the Senate, Today’s Zaman reported citing Turkish media outlets.

Reports quoting Turkish diplomatic sources say Turkey's move to recall its ambassador, Tahsin Burcuoğlu, does not mean it is downgrading diplomatic ties with Paris as he was recalled simply for consultation. Since the bill has not yet been enacted, Turkey will make the utmost effort to prevent it from becoming law, the same sources said.

On December 22, 2011, French National Assembly passed a bill criminalizing public denial of the Armenian Genocide. If passed and signed into law by the Senate, the bill would 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. Following the vote, Ankara recalled its ambassador from France.