Erdogan: Decision of French Senate committee important to show unconstitutionality of Armenian resolution

ANKARA (A.A) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Thursday that the decision of a French Senate committee on the Armenian resolution earlier this week was crucial to show the unconstitutionality of the resolution. Speaking at a TV program, Erdogan said that the Committee on Laws at the French Senate showed that the Armenian resolution to be debated at the French Senate floor on January 23 was against the French constitution. I believe that the French Senate would take into consideration the committee's decision, Erdogan also said. 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 resolution will be brought up to the French Senate on January 23 with the government's initiatives. On Wednesday, January 18, the Committee on Laws of the French Senate decided not to place the Armenian resolution on the agenda of the Senate. The Chairperson of the Committee on Laws at the French Senate, Jean Pierre Sueur, said Wednesday that their decision not to place an Armenian resolution earlier adopted by the French Parliament on the agenda of the French Senate was taken with the thought that the resolution was against the French constitution. Speaking to the Turkish media, Sueur said that the Armenian resolution was also against the freedom of expression and freedom of research. With these thoughts, we wanted the Armenian resolution not to be placed on the agenda of the French Senate. We believe that the Armenian resolution is against the French constitution, Sueur also said. 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.