Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Turkey Faik Bagirov voiced disappointment regarding Turkish media claims on Azerbaijan’s insufficient efforts aimed at preventing passage of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial by the French Senate.

“Azerbaijan was the only country to back Turkey on the issue due to friendly and fraternal ties,” the ambassador said in an interview with Hurriyet daily.

Bagirov further named those who spread such ideas hostile circles that attempt to plant seeds of discord between Turkish and Azerbaijani people.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. Expected to be signed into law by President within 14 days, 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.

Two separate groups of French politicians who oppose the legislation - from both the Senate and the lower house - said they had formally requested the constitutional council examine the law. The groups said they each had gathered more than the minimum 60 signatures required to ask the council to test the law's constitutionality. The council is obliged to deliver its judgment within a month, but this can be reduced to eight days if the government deems the matter urgent.