France 24

December 22, 2011

France’s lower house of parliament has approved a bill making it illegal to deny a genocide, including the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Turkey, which denies the genocide, has withdrawn its Paris ambassador and frozen military ties.

The French National Assembly passed a bill on Thursday that would criminalise the denial of genocides recognised by France, including the massacre of Armenians in 1915, prompting swift condemnation from Turkey.

Ankara immediately recalled its Paris ambassador after the vote had gone through, and hours later announced that is was suspending all political visits and was freezing military cooperation with France.

At home, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of allowing the vote to take place in order to appeal to the significant Armenian vote in France ahead of next year’s elections.

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