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Turkish lawmakers watching the lower house of the French parliament debate a bill making it illegal to deny the mass killing of Armenians was genocide. (AP) Last update - 18:06 12/10/2006 Armenians in Jerusalem welcome French law recognizing genocide By News Agencies Armenians in the Old City of Jerusalem, many of them descendants of people who fled during World War I, on Thursday welcomed passage of a law by the lower house of the French legislature making it a crime to deny that the mass killing then was genocide. "They have recognized it," said Caroline Jansezian, owner of an Armenian gift shop in the Old City. "It's come the time that somebody cares about it." An estimated 1.5 million Armenians were killed from 1915-1919. Turkey maintains the deaths occurred during civil unrest, disputes the numbers and rejects the genocide label. Advertisement Armenians in Jerusalem hoped that would change. "Little by little, more and more people are becoming aware of it, and accepting it, and one day Turkey will accept it," said Vic Lepejian, an artist working in a small ceramic shop. The French law must be passed by the senate and signed by President Jacques Chirac before it would take effect. About 6,000 Armenians live in Israel and the West Bank, according to a community leader, 2,500 of them in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. There, maps documenting the tragedy are posted on the walls and pamphlets are passed out to visitors. "I think recognition is a consolation, but nothing will compensate for the sense of loss, at least for this generation," said George Hintlian of the Convent of St. James, a key Armenian holy site Jerusalem. Hintlian's grandfather and uncle were killed during the violence. Hintlian said Armenians here have a special link with their tragic past. "Our sense of genocide is more focused or sharper because we live next to the Jewish people who went through their own Holocaust," he said. "The Holocaust culture is very much alive here. And the sadness that accompanies it." Six million Jews were murdered by German Nazis and their collaborators during World War II. Every April 24, the day Armenians around the world commemorate the genocide, there is a solemn procession around walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Turkey: French ties dealt blow over Armenian genocide bill A French parliamentary vote supporting a bill on the alleged genocide of Armenians by Ottoman Turks has dealt Turkish-French ties a severe blow, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. "French-Turkish relations, which have developed over centuries... have been dealt a blow today as a result of the irresponsible false claims of French politicians who do not see the political consequences of their actions," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry did not say whether Turkey, which is seeking European Union membership, would take any retaliatory measures against France, a founder member of the EU. Turkish Economics Minister Ali Babacan did say, however, that he could not rule out consequences for French businesses. "Time will show. But I cannot say it will not have any consequences," Babacan, who is also Ankara's chief negotiator in accession talks with the EU, told reporters in Brussels. Asked about the threat of a boycott to French goods after the French lower house of parliament overwhelmingly backed the bill, he replied: "As the government of Turkey, we are not encouraging something like that. But this is the people's decision." The French government said in response that as it valued its relations with Turkey, it did not believe the bill, which would make it a crime to deny that the World War I-era killings of Armenians in Turkey, was genocide to be necessary. The bill, which was introduced by the opposition Socialists, must still be passed by the Senate and be signed by President Jacques Chirac. France's minister for European affairs, Catherine Colonna, said just before the vote that the government did not look favorably on the bill. "It is not for the law to write history," she said in parliament. France has already recognized the killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians from 1915 to 1919 as genocide; under Thursday's bill, those who contest it was genocide would risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to $56,000. Deputies in the National Assembly voted 106-19 for the bill, an issue has become intertwined with Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. The European Commission said Thursday that French bill would hamper reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia. "Turkey has been called on many times ... to achieve reconciliation on that matter, and to conduct an open dialogue with its neighbor Armenia," said EU spokeswoman Krisztina Nagy. She added that EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn "has made very clear over the last few days that if this law indeed enters into force it would prevent dialogue and the necessary debate to reconcile the different opinions on this subject." A similar bill was shelved in the spring amid pressure from Ankara. It was presented by the opposition Socialists, and most lawmakers from Chirac's ruling conservative party UMP did not take part in Thursday's vote. Turkey supporters abruptly left the parliament building after the vote without speaking to reporters. Outside, a few dozen protesters of Armenian descent celebrated. "The memory of the victims is finally totally respected," said Alexis Govciyan, head of a group coordinating Armenian organizations in France. "The dignity of all their descendants and all of our compatriots will now be taken into account in a republican way, with the rules and values that govern our country." Chirac, during a visit to Armenia last month, said the bill "is more of a polemic than of legal reality" but he also urged Turkey to recognize "the genocide of Armenians" in order to join the European Union. "Each country grows by acknowledging its dramas and errors of the past," Chirac said. Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Socialist leader in the Assembly, said Tuesday that the bill should not be seen as an act of "aggression against the Turkish state and the Turkish nation. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Condemned cinema Dutch Jewish group: Anti-Islam film is 'counterproductive.' Suspecting Syria UN officials: Syria still suspected in Lebanese PM Hariri murder case.   1.   Once in a blue moon 13:39  |  Aviv 12/10/06   2.   LEAD BY EXAMPLE= RECOGNISE THE MASSACRE OF 1.5 MILLION ALGERIANS 15:17  |  Messaoud 12/10/06   3.   Evidence of French parliament hypocrisy.. 15:47  |  Messaoud 12/10/06   4.   Shame on France 15:47  |  John 12/10/06   5.   Isn`t it odd? 16:24  |  sh 12/10/06   6.   To Messaoud 16:59  |  Michael 12/10/06   7.   Yes Messaoud #2,3 17:07  |  Polybios 12/10/06   8.   SSDD... 17:09  |  bat yam 12/10/06   9.   French terrorists in New Zealand 17:31  |  maoriboy 12/10/06   10.   We All Live In Glass Houses 17:41  |  Tony Anthony 12/10/06   11.   Recognise 18:04  |  Ralph 12/10/06   12.   Armenian Genocide!!! Thats right Genocide 18:30  |  Steve 12/10/06   13.   When will Israel recognize it? 20:04  |  David 12/10/06   14.   disgreceful 21:07  |  Murat 12/10/06   15.   Notice what that says about "Palestinians" 21:09  |  David Teich 12/10/06   16.   "Each country grows by acknowledging its dramas and errors of the 21:35  |  Lebanese in Canada 12/10/06   17.   Turkey should pass a similar law 21:37  |  Lebanese in Canada 12/10/06   18.   To Steve 12# 21:41  |  Joanne 12/10/06   19.   Messaaoud # 2 21:57  |  Philippe 12/10/06   20.   But that doesn`t stop the stone throwers Tony 21:57  |  Mark Lincoln 12/10/06   21.   Michael # 6 22:01  |  Philippe 12/10/06   22.   Maori boy # 9 22:02  |  Philippe 12/10/06   23.   Bravo France !!! 22:03  |  Nishan Dzhingozyan 12/10/06   24.   Genocide real story is something else .. 22:05  |  Clickright 12/10/06   25.   Steve # 12 22:06  |  Philippe 12/10/06   26.   Sad World 22:10  |  john of Jordan 12/10/06   27.   Two nations massacring each other is a tragedy 22:16  |  David Israel 12/10/06   28.   It Was Genocide! Israel Should Have Recognized It First! 22:23  |  Yosemite Sam 12/10/06   29.   Messaoud #2 23:28  |  Guess who 12/10/06   30.   Clickright - You are correct 23:56  |  David Israel 12/10/06   31.   Notice what that says about "Palestinians" (2nd try) 16:59  |  David Teich 13/10/06   32.   Is it? 23:48  |  Oscar 17/10/06   33.   Respect to France from Lithuania ! 15:37  |  Audrius 26/07/07   34.   Two nations massacring each other is a tragedy 10:10  |  Evet 29/03/08

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