Radical French leftist senators to vote against resolution on Armenian allegations

PARIS (A.A) - January 13, 2012 - Radical French leftist senators said on Friday they would vote against the resolution criminalizing denial of Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915. After the Green group at the French Senate, European Democrat and Social Rally (RDSE) officially announced that they would oppose to the resolution.  A RDSE statement said the group respected memories of nations who had suffered but the resolution would not help normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. The statement said parliaments should not pass laws regarding historical incidents. RDSE group has 16 senators. In an earlier statement, the Green Group, which does not have many seats at the Senate, said they would vote against the resolution. There are also Socialist and ruling party senators who object to the resolution. Socialist Group and ruling party have the majority at the Senate. However, if senators opposing to the resolution decide not to attend the general assembly, this will reduce the chance of preventing the enactment of the resolution. The lower house of the French parliament adopted in December a resolution that criminalizes rejection of Armenian allegations pertaining to the incidents of 1915. Only 70 out of 577 parliamentarians joined the voting of the resolution which was adopted with majority of votes. The resolution envisages "one-year prison term and 45,000 Euro fine for those who deny genocide recognized by French laws." French Parliament had recognized so-called Armenian genocide in 1915 on January 29, 2001. The draft criminalizing the rejection of Armenian allegations had first been approved in 2006, but it could not become a law as French President Nicolas Sarkozy prevented its presentation to Senate. Now, the senate's approval is necessary to make the resolution a law. Turkey strongly opposes the issue of the incidents of 1915 being used as a tool in French politics. Many believe that French President Sarkozy supports the Armenian resolution in order to garner support from France's Armenian population that number around 500,000. France will hold the first round of this year's presidential election on April 22 and the second round run-off on May 6. Sarkozy is running for a second term. The French Senate's committee on laws will debate the resolution on January 18, and appoint a rapporteur. The chairmanship council will convene on January 17, and it is most probably expected to bring up the resolution to the general assembly.  If the resolution is not adopted at the senate till February 22, 2012 when the parliament and senate will recess for presidential elections, it will be invalid.