Azerbaijani top official: France’s co-chairmanship at OSCE MG may be discussed

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 29 / Trend M. Aliyev / France's co-chairmanship at the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) may be discussed at the organization's meeting. "Turkish President Abdullah Gul made a proposal concerning France's participation in European institutions, OSCE and OSCE MG. Perhaps, this issue will be discussed at the MG's meeting," Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov told journalists on Thursday. With regard to the bill criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" adopted at the French parliament, Hasanov said it is a tool of certain circles to use the Armenians against the Turks. He said it is nonsense against a background of Europe's current development. Arresting and fining people for freedom of thought in the center of Europe, in a country defining Europe's public life norms, are the norms of the Middle Ages," he underlined. The French Parliament adopted a bill criminalizing the denial of a fictitious "Armenian genocide" last week. Some 45 out of 577 French MPs participated in the voting, while 38 voted for and seven voted against the adoption of the bill. The bill envisages about a year imprisonment and a fine worth 45,000 euros for denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide". MPs from the French President's "Union for Popular Movement" (UMP) party which has the parliamentary majority, proposed the bill which aims at criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" to the legislative committee of the National Assembly in early December. 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. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az