French Senators given time to appeal Armenian Genocide bill?

The French Constitutional Council has allowed time for French senators and parliamentarians to collect enough signatures to appeal the recently approved bill on the 1915 killings of Armenians, Hurriyet Daily News reported, citing a diplomatic source.

The signatures of 60 parliamentary members or senators are required to appeal legislation to the Constitutional Council in France. A diplomatic source was quoted as saying that the bill would not be sent to the Elysee until today. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to approve the legislation within two weeks. Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) member and Chairman of the Turkish-French Parliamentary Group Michel Diefenbacher has said that the number of MPs of the Lower House of French Parliament to appeal the denial bill to the high court had reached 35, according to Anatolia news agency.

Head of the European Democratic and Social Rally party (RDSE) Jacques Mezard was quoted as saying their group had also started to collect signatures to take the bill to the Constitutional Council. Meanwhile, the Turkish Embassy in Baku said yesterday it would be best for France to resign from its co-chair position in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, Anatolia news agency reported. The statement is said to have condemned the bill which is described as an insult to Turkish people. Historians have said France lost its neutrality with the recent bill, the statement read.

The bill will not contribute to the Turkey-Armenia and Azerbaijan-Armenia relations but will strengthen hatred among people, it said.

Another condemnation to the French bill came from Turkish Parliament’s Human Rights Commission on Thursday. The commission said the bill was regarded as ''a symbol of return to the Dark Ages when the guillotine was used. '' Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to make an appointment to listen to the opinions of Turks on the recent bill, according to the Islamic Council of France deputy president. Haydar Demiryürek said he conveyed the discomfort of Turks on the recent bill when Sarkozy received members of the Islamic Council of France. I conveyed rebuke of French citizens of Turkish origin living in this country to him, '' Demiryurek said, adding that Sarkozy promised to make an appointment to listen to the views of Turks.