Foreign Ministry issues official statement on French parliament's decision

"With great surprise and concern that we followed development of deliberations of the French Parliamen'’s lower house and ensuing vote on the legislation to make denial of so-called "Armenian genocide," illegal in France. Unfortunately, Armenia and its diaspora continue to play a very destructive role in the ongoing developments in the region, instead of contributing to peace and stability.

"With full understanding that this initiative needs to be ratified by the Senate, we urge the French Parliament to apply a more careful, impartial, and balanced approach.

"Taking note of the French Government's position of disagreement with this legislative act, we are hopeful that the French Senate will block this negative trend in full compliance with international community's proclaimed interest in re-establishment of security, stability and mutual confidence climate in this strategically important region of Europe," says the statement.

The French parliament has yesterday adopted a bill making it a crime to deny that Armenians suffered so-called "genocide" at the hands of the Turks. APA