French MP and member of the France-Armenia Friendship Group François Rochebloine and the Head of Armenia’s National Assembly Armenia-France Friendship Group Ara Babloyan visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex on September 28, 2016 (Photo: parliament.am)
YEREVAN (Armenpress)—The bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial will be discussed in the Upper House (Senate) of the French Parliament on October 7, said the Co-Chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France Murad Papazian.
“As you know, after the vote of the bill in summer, a special committee was formed which must have presented the MPs’ proposals. There were some MPs who said the provision on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial must be removed from the bill, but we have carried out works and reached to the point in order to submit the option which has been adopted in summer and included the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial to the Senate’s discussion. The political forces also agreed to submit that option to the Senate’s discussion,” he said.
He expressed hope that the Senate will adopt the option of the bill which has been passed in the Parliament in June 2016.
“We work in order the required number of MPs to vote for the bill. You know the Turks are not indifferent, they also work, do everything in order that option not to be adopted,” Papazian said.
He also recalled that the Socialists have promised to vote in favor of the bill.
François Rochebloine, MP of the French Parliament and member of France-Armenia friendship group on September 28 visited Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial.
He was accompanied by Chairman of Armenia-France friendship group of the Armenian Parliament Ara Babloyan, said the Armenian Parliamentary press service.
The guests laid flowers at the Eternal Flame and paid tribute to the memory of the victims with a moment of silence.
Thereafter, they visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and got acquainted with the exhibits.
Rochebloine left a note in the Honorary Guest Book and planted a fir tree in the Memorial Park.
“Every time [I visit the] Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex I get excited. I would like…to stress that this tree is planted not only on my behalf, but also on behalf of all the French MPs who voted for the bill on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” Rochebloine said.
Source: Asbarez
Link: France to Discuss Armenian Genocide Denial Ban on Oct. 7