France debates Armenia 'genocide' despite Turkish anger
French MPs pass bill banning Armenian 'genocide' denial
(about 1 hour later)
France's parliament has begun debating a bill that would criminalise denying that the killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during WWI was genocide.
MPs in France have passed a bill making it illegal to deny that the killing of Armenians in WWI was genocide, in the teeth of Turkish objections.
Those publicly denying the genocide would face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£29:000: $58,000).
The vote, by show of hands, saw the bill backed by a large majority of the 50 or so MPs present in the National Assembly, AFP news agency reports.
The bill is expected to go before the Senate early next year.
Turkey rejects the term "genocide" and has warned France of "serious repercussions" if the bill becomes law.
Under the bill, those publicly denying the genocide would face a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (£29:000: $58,000).
Armenians say up to 1.5m people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915.
Armenians say up to 1.5m people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915.
Turkey rejects that figure and the genocide description, and has warned France of "serious repercussions" if the bill becomes law.
Ankara says closer to 300,000 people died, and that Turks were also killed when Armenians rose up against the Ottoman Empire when Russian troops invaded eastern Anatolia, now eastern Turkey.
Ankara says closer to 300,000 people died, and that Turks were also killed when Armenians rose up against the Ottoman Empire when Russian troops invaded eastern Anatolia, now eastern Turkey
More than 20 countries, including France, have formally recognised the killings as genocide.
More than 20 countries, including France, formally recognised the killings as genocide.
But the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says French deputies now want to go a step further.
Hundreds of people from Franco-Turkish organisations demonstrated against the bill close to the National Assembly building in Paris on Thursday morning.
One of the co-signatories of the bill, Patrick Devedjian, a former government minister of Armenian origin, told reporters that it wasn't France's Turkish community that had organised the protests but "the Turkish government with its Turkish flags and its agents".
The Turkish government has responded angrily to the proposed law, warning of economic consequences.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the move was aimed at boosting support for French President Nicolas Sarkozy ahead of elections next year, and would "harm Franco-Turkish relations".
He said Turkey was considering imposing sanctions against France in response, the Anatolia news agency reports.
Responding to Mr Erdogan's assertion that the plan was an attempt to secure the votes of ethnic Armenians, Mr Devedjian said: "if elections can help advance human rights, then I think that's no bad thing."
Turkey's ruling and opposition parties issued a joint statement condemning the proposal, saying it "denigrates Turkish history," while there have been protests outside the French embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he hoped France would "not step on a great and an old friendship and French values for political and electoral gains".
"But without question, no-one can expect us to keep silent and show no reaction," he told reporters.
There are some half a million ethnic Armenians living in France, and their vote is considered important in next year's election, says our correspondent.
But the debate has also created unease in France, with Foreign Minister Alain Juppe expressing concern at alienating such an important trading partner as Turkey, he adds.
France's European Affairs Minister Jean Leonetti told French radio on Thursday that he did not take the Turkish threats seriously and called for a peaceful dialogue.
The bill is expected to attract broad political support in the National Assembly.
But our correspondent says that French academics have reacted angrily to the bill, accusing parliamentarians of attempting to legislate over history.
