Azernews.Az

Azerbaijan’s clerical leader considers passage of French legislation criminalizing denial of the alleged genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as provocation against the Turkic world, including Azerbaijan, he said in an appeal to President Nicolas Sarkozy and French Senate members.

The Caucasus Muslims Office chairman, Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazada said in his address that by stirring up political and sometimes religious radicalism, people commit "unforgivable sins and crimes against each other", the Caucasus Muslims Office said on Tuesday.

"The most well-known commandment concerning Christian postulates says ‘Do not judge or you will be judged’. Unfortunately, the French National Assembly [lower chamber of parliament], which is regarded as the center of European culture and cradle of world democracy, recently made a rather controversial and dangerous decision…We are unequivocally stating that this decision, for which a group of French National Assembly members voted, upon instigation of the Armenian lobby, is aimed not at strengthening peace and justice, but is a provocation aimed at the falsification of history and aggravation of hate," the address says.

The CMO chairman wrote further that the "genocide" bill, which has "undemocratic essence", is aimed against human rights.

"This bill, aimed against freedom of expression, creates the situation of moral dictate. This decision, which does not meet the principles of justice, may pave the way for bitter ramifications and tragedies," the address said.

Pashazada noted that France failed to "raise its voice of protest" when real genocide took place in 1992 in the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly, referring to the massacre committed by Armenians during the Karabakh war.

"The adoption of this decision calls into question the fate of the peaceful [conflict] settlement efforts in the Caucasus, which are of vital importance. The passage of such a decision by a country co-chairing the Minsk Group, which was established by the OSCE to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, harms its international authority and deprives us of the belief in its fair stance," Pashazada said.

Despite strong protests by Turkey, the National Assembly last week passed a bill which envisions a jail sentence of up to one year and a 45,000 euro fine for those denying that the "genocide" of Armenians occurred. The draft law will be debated next year in the Senate, the parliament’s upper chamber. If endorsed, it will be submitted to the French president for signing.

Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, has condemned the National Assembly’s move.