Sarkozy: ‘Armenian genocide’ law not aimed against any country
A law criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide", adopted by the French Senate, is not directed against any country, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in his letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Sabah newspaper reported.
Sarkozy called Erdogan to act based on common interests.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey prepares new sanctions against France.
After a nearly eight-hour debate, the French Senate adopted the bill. Some 127 senators voted in favor, while 86 senators voted against on Jan.23.
The lower house of the French parliament adopted a bill criminalising the denial of the so-called "genocide" on Dec.22. Some 45 out of 577 French MPs voted with 38 voting for and seven against the adoption of the bill.
The bill demands a year's imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euro for denying the so-called "genocide." In response to the decision, Turkey announced that it has frozen all diplomatic relations with France.
Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of the Turkey - Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the Armenians living in Anadolu, and achieved recognition of the "Armenian genocide" by the parliaments of several countries.
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