Arye Gut

The French Senate has passed a bill to criminalize denial of any genocide recognized by French law. The document sets the penalties of imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of €45,000 for anyone found guilty of denying the so-called "Armenian genocide" in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

Under French law, the president has to pass a bill and make it public within 15 days of its submission by the government. Until then it is possible to appeal to parliament to reconsider the law or individual provisions in it.

Turkish politicians and diplomats have harshly condemned the decision of the French Senate. Immediately after the bill’s adoption, Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin told CNN Turk that the bill "is the greatest injustice and expresses extreme disrespect towards Turkey”. He added that the decision "does not have legal force”.

Turkey is discussing the introduction of additional sanctions against Paris because of the adoption of the bill. Milliyet newspaper writes that the Turkish authorities are discussing downgrading diplomatic relations with France to the minimum level and withdrawing Turkey’s ambassador from Paris. Among other sanctions under consideration is a ban on French companies participating in tenders in Turkey and the closure of Turkish maritime and air space to French military aircraft and ships. Turkey also intends to use all the provisions of international law to repeal the decision taken by the French parliament, according to Milliyet newspaper

Whether we admit it or not, we have to take into account the fact that the leadership and political elite in France is actively connected with the Armenian lobby. The French Senate's adoption of the bill is not a random event, but the result of the effective action and influence of the Armenian lobby in France, whose voices are important for Sarkozy to continue his presidency.

It is a fact that no French president has had such a negative attitude towards Turkish-French relations, as Nicolas Sarkozy. The fact that he did not return phone calls from President Gul is a continuation of his previous conduct. Today it is a fact that those who disagree with the opinion of the Armenian lobby are held accountable before the law. The problem cannot be solved today even with the discovery of historical sources - historical documents cannot be put on the table for experts and historians in France.

The decision of the French Senate to criminalize denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" contradicts the basic principle of democracy and is a violation of the natural right to freedom of speech. Freedom of expression in France has come under the control of politicians who in turn are under the full control of the Armenian lobby. It is a fact that these politicians have forgotten about the national strategic interests of France and are acting on the desires of Sarkozy's supporters for him to stay on for another term. It's no secret that a sensitive issue has become an instrument of domestic policy in Paris and this decision is a most unfortunate and erroneous step in French foreign policy.

If every parliament is to decide about history and how to enforce it, then Europe has entered a new period of repression and persecution. History is full of bloody international and ethnic conflicts, which can easily be used in the current geopolitical struggle.

Events a century ago should be a matter for historians, not parliaments and prime ministers, and not under threat of a fine or imprisonment. It is better if historians together find ways to solve existing problems. However, history has always been and, of course, will remain a fertile ground for settling political scores. This is the case with the current diplomatic conflict in France and Turkey over the recognition of the so-called “Armenian genocide”.

From this point of view, I consider it necessary to note that the Turkish diaspora throughout the world and the Turkish Foreign Ministry for a long time, namely, the last five years, have been quietly watching as the Armenian diaspora in France, grain by grain, achieve success.

I think we all need to draw our own conclusions. Unfortunately, the Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora around the world operate from a position of defence and are oblivious to the fact that the best form of defence is attack. We must stop defending ourselves, we must go on the offensive and be harshly realistic. We should hold international conferences of historians and experts on the subject in those countries where the Armenian lobby is in a strong position. We need to organize trips by historians and journalists to Turkey and Azerbaijan in order to show the true nature of the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Azerbaijan today has sufficient capacity to carry out aggressive diaspora work around the world, given the active work of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijan's State Committee for Diaspora Affairs. The world is, unfortunately, much more aware of the tragic events of a hundred years ago than of the tragedy of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly, which was wiped out by Armenian fascists 20 years ago. We must do this for the memory of the innocent victims of the genocide in Khojaly, for the sake of children who saw their mothers no more. The world must know that this crime was committed not only against the Azerbaijani people, but against the whole of humanity

News.Az