Head of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Giro Manoyan: "In spite of Turkey`s threatenings bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide was approved."

Yesterday's statement that approval of the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide was France's response to Turkey's unwillingness to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols is erroneous.

At his meeting with journalists Dec. 23, Giro Manoyan, Head of the Hay Dat office, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D), said that such statements are nothing but orders by Armenia's authorities.

Among the reasons for approval of the bill are, first of all, coming elections in France, and France's relations with Armenia and Turkey. 
None of the speakers in France's parliament mentioned the protocols yesterday, he said.

He noted that France approved a similar bill back in 2006. This time, however, Turkey "has got hysterical." Turkey will go in issuing threats for the next few weeks, and development will resume their normal course then. "I cannot remember how many times Turkey has recalled its ambassadors. Holidays are coming now, let him have a little rest," Manoyan said.

He is sure that the French Senate will approve the bill if it is put on the Senate agenda. Manoyan hopes that the other states that have recognized the Armenian Genocide may be encouraged to approve similar bills.