YEREVAN. – Currently both the French Senate and National Assembly are holding debates concerning the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. Minister of State for Development and Francophonie of France, Annick Girardin, said the aforementioned today, touching on the question at which stage is the bill on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in France.

She reminded that France has acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, two president-level visits to Armenia took place, and France also took part in the events commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

“The issue of the Armenian Genocide was touched on the sidelines of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, whose chairman condemned the Armenian Genocide. Apparently, we acknowledge this realia, but it’s necessary to understand that this is one of the pages of history, which must be turned. We are here to provide efficient support to Armenian in different spheres – economy, tourism and education –  so that the youth of Armenian is able to properly use their knowledge in favor of the country’s development,” Annick Girardin said.

On December 3 last year, the French parliament considered the bill on criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.  The bill was drafted by the French opposition MP of the Republican Party Valérie Boyer. On November 25, the draft was debated in Senate’s Justice Committee.

The abovementioned bill was adopted by the Lower Chamber of the French parliament in December 2011, and by the Senate in January 2012. In response, Turkey froze its diplomatic and economic ties with France. However, President Sarkozy refused to sign the law, giving time for its contestation in the Constitutional Court.

On 29 February 2012, the law was ruled to contradict the French Constitution. Later it turned out that one of the French Constitutional Court members was in correspondence with the Turkish ex-FM Yaşar Yakış and had assured him that the bill wouldn’t be adopted.