U.S. Assistant Secretary of State: "French 'Armenian Genocide' bill makes no sense"

Daniel Fried, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, said he backed French President Jacques Chirac's opposition to the bill, which has infuriated Turkey even though it may never become law.

"I certainly share the view that this legislation criminalizing discussion doesn't seem to make any sense," Fried told a news briefing in Brussels. He said the United States and President George W. Bush had spoken out repeatedly about the mass killings of Armenians during World War One and did not want to minimize or deny them.

However, he added: "We as a government have never termed these events 'genocide.' We don't use that word."

Fried said the United States would like to see Turks and Armenians address the issue honestly and some Turks were already urging their government to do so. "It doesn't strike me as clear that resolutions like this in the French parliament are going to encourage this process." Reuters