Turkey Slams France Over Armenian Genocide Bill

ANKARA — Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, which was recently put on the agenda of theFrench National Assembly.

Ankara’s statement warns of “irreparable damage” that could ensue should France’s latest move to criminalize denying the Armenian Genocide passes next week in the French parliament.

“The French authorities are well aware of the sensitivity of this issue [the Armenian genocide] for our country.. At a time when the Turkey-France cooperation opportunities could enter a development phase, such initiatives would reflect negatively on the course. And the initiating side of all this would bear the responsibility for the consequences. We expect from France to assist so that the disagreement between Turkey and Armenia, in connection with history, be settled through dialogue,” Turkish MFA’s statement reads.

The statement notes that the bill, concerning the events in 1915, is included in France’s agenda during the pre-election season.”