Armenia approves law on dual citizenship

Wedged between Georgia, Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, Armenia has a population of just 3.2 million and a diaspora of 8 million spread across the globe, mainly in the United States, Russia and France.

The law, passed in the final second reading on Monday, allows all emigres to attain Armenian citizenship. Armenia's president, parliament deputies and constitutional court judges are not entitled to dual citizenship, according to the law.

Armenians voted in favour of dual citizenship in a November 2005 referendum.

Most Armenians fled their home land at the end of World War One following mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915. Turkey denies there was systematic genocide and says Armenian deaths were part of inter-ethnic fighting, disease and famine in which both sides suffered.

Under the law, emigres with dual citizenship can vote in national elections only if they obtain a local residence permit. Reuters