Adoption of Armenian resolution at French Senate to be a big blow to Turkish-French relations, says Turkish Ambassador Burcuoglu

PARIS (A.A) - January 11, 2012 - Turkish Ambassador in Paris, Tahsin Burcuoglu, said Wednesday that the adoption of an Armenian resolution at the French Senate would be a big blow to Turkish-French relations. Addressing the Socialist Group at the French Senate, Ambassador Burcuoglu said that the Armenian resolution was against the freedom of expression and freedom of thought. The Socialists at the French Senate invited Ambassador Burcuoglu to listen to Turkey's views more closely before the Armenian resolution gets on the agenda of the Senate on January 23. Burcuoglu gave detailed information to the French Socialists on the incidents of 1915. 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. 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.