French Senate’s “Armenian genocide” law has good chances to be cancelled

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 9 / Trend A. Badalova / A law criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide", adopted by the French Senate at the end of last year, has good chances be canceled, member of the Senate Commission for International Affairs Nathalie Goulet told in an interview to Trend during the visit to Azerbaijan. "We have a very good chance to see this law cancelled," Goulet said. French parliamentarians appealed to the country's supreme Constitutional Council to overturn a bill that penalizes denial of "Armenian genocide" claims. The council is now expected to examine whether the bill, passed in both houses of the French Parliament, violates the French constitution and its founding base of freedom of expression. Some 77 senators from across the political divide made the appeal to the court. Another 65 lawmakers in the lower house agreed to the appeal. Goulet said that a Supreme Court's decision on this law is expected at the end of this month. Goulet believes that the French Senate adopted the law under influence of Armenian lobby residing in France, and the bill contradicts the freedom of speech. "One of the arguments in the appeal to the Supreme Court is the freedom of speech," Goulet said. The Constitutional Council, whose 11 members include former presidents and others appointed by the president, and presidents of the Senate and the National Assembly, rule on conformity of legislation after they have been voted by Parliament and before they are signed into law by the president. Former French presidents Valerie Giscard d'Estaing and Jacques Chirac are currently members of the council, headed by Jean-Louis Debre. Talking about the cooperation between Azerbaijan and France Goulet stressed that the countries reached very good level of relations. She said France's official position towards Azerbaijan is very clear and there is no way to change it. According to Goulet, France supports return of refugees to their homeland and withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories, as well as restoration of Azerbaijan's integrity. "That is not disputable. And that will not be changed by any law." 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 have achieved recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" by the parliaments of several countries. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az