Azernews.Az

French President Nicolas Sarkozy intends to offer all European countries to pass a law criminalizing denial of the alleged genocide of Armenians in Turkey, Turkish Hurriyet newspaper reported.

Sarkozy has reportedly suggested that all EU members sign a framework agreement on the adoption of such a law.

Hurriyet noted that during Germany’s EU presidency, the EU countries passed a convention condemning racism, xenophobia and related intolerance and criminalizing denial of the Holocaust.

The report said France has since taken strides in this direction, but other European nations have not yet responded to Sarkozy’s proposal.

Despite strong protests by Turkey, the National Assembly, the lower chamber of France’s parliament, in December 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 in Ottoman Turkey during World War I.

The Senate, the parliament’s upper chamber, is due to vote on the "genocide" bill on January 23, Turkey’s TRT TV channel reported.

If endorsed, the law will be submitted to the French president for signing.

Armenia says 1.5 million were killed in a genocide. Turkey dismisses the claims, saying around 500,000 died in fighting after Armenians sided with Russian invaders.

France recognized the 1915 events as a genocide in 2001.