Armenian expert Ruben Safrastyan on consequences of Armenian Genocide bill.

Approval of a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide by the French National Assembly was to show that France remains one of the bearers of European values, Ruben Safrastyan, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Armenian National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), told journalists Dec. 26.

He pointed out a number of external and internal reasons for that: France is entering a pre-election period, Turkey is unable to prove to Europe it is committed to European values and, finally, Armenia and France have recently established closer relations. 

"We are going to progress in getting the Armenian Genocide internationally recognized and condemned particularly in European states. However, I do not yet see that Turkey is going to reject its denial policy," Safrastyan said. International pressure on Turkey plays its role, without, however, being always effective – Turkey has preserved elements of its Ottoman period, when decisions were made with a view to maintaining supremacy. 

With respect to possible deterioration in French-Turkish relations, Safrastyan voiced the opinion that Turkey will be the first to lose, as it is economically dependent on France. Armenians living in Turkey will be in a hard situation until the French Senate adopts the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide and President Nicolas Sarkozy signs it, the expert said. 

"Of course, an anti-Armenian wave may rise in Turkey, but viewing the bill as a restriction on freedom of speech is totally wrong," Safrastyan said. 

A law criminalizing denial of the Jewish Holocaust is in effect as well, and denying a crime has nothing to do with restrictions on freedom of speech, Safrastyan concluded.