Armenian `genocide` claims failing in France
The Armenian claims regarding genocide that
allegedly happened in Turkey in the early 20th century are failing
in France, one of the countries with a powerful Armenian lobby.
Following a revelation by a French politician that disappointed
Armenians, the leader of the country`s New Anticapitalist Party
(NPA) shattered Armenian hopes in an interview with the Paris-based
Armenian News journal.
Asked about the law imposing prosecution and fines for denying the alleged World War I-era killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, which has been passed in the French National Assembly (the lower chamber of parliament), Olivier Besancenot, said the focus today should be on contemporary instances of genocide, not on the Armenian `genocide`, which has long been left behind.
"For instance, I am talking about the Palestinians killed during the Israel-Palestine conflict," he said, adding that it was the job of historians to establish whether or not the genocide of Armenians had indeed taken place.
The statement has caused worries not only among Armenians but also those of their supporter, Marc Knobel, who acts as a charge d`affaires for the CRIF Jewish umbrella organization in France. In an open letter to Besancenot published in the media, Knobel accused the party leader of casting a shadow on "a nation with deep roots" and accused him of drawing an improper comparison between the alleged genocide and what he called the killings of just a few thousands of Palestinians.
Earlier, French former culture minister Jack Lang, who has been elected member of the National Assembly, admitted he was merely trying to rally support of the electorate when he backed a "genocide" bill in parliament in October 2007. In a statement that angered Armenians living in France, he said the move was aimed not to restore "historical justice", but to gain votes among Armenians while on the campaign trail.
Asked about the law imposing prosecution and fines for denying the alleged World War I-era killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, which has been passed in the French National Assembly (the lower chamber of parliament), Olivier Besancenot, said the focus today should be on contemporary instances of genocide, not on the Armenian `genocide`, which has long been left behind.
"For instance, I am talking about the Palestinians killed during the Israel-Palestine conflict," he said, adding that it was the job of historians to establish whether or not the genocide of Armenians had indeed taken place.
The statement has caused worries not only among Armenians but also those of their supporter, Marc Knobel, who acts as a charge d`affaires for the CRIF Jewish umbrella organization in France. In an open letter to Besancenot published in the media, Knobel accused the party leader of casting a shadow on "a nation with deep roots" and accused him of drawing an improper comparison between the alleged genocide and what he called the killings of just a few thousands of Palestinians.
Earlier, French former culture minister Jack Lang, who has been elected member of the National Assembly, admitted he was merely trying to rally support of the electorate when he backed a "genocide" bill in parliament in October 2007. In a statement that angered Armenians living in France, he said the move was aimed not to restore "historical justice", but to gain votes among Armenians while on the campaign trail.
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