"The French people are being manipulated by Armenians to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide. France, which champions human rights, should not listen to Armenians who want to establish enmity based on history," said Dr. Erol Kurkcuoglu, Chairman of Armenian Relations Research Center at Erzurum's Ataturk University.

Kurkcuoglu noted that the French Parliament will vote on a draft law on May 18th making denials of the so-called Armenian genocide a crime in France and punishable with a fine of 40,000 Euro or prison term of one year. "The decision of the French Parliament to pass a law on the so-called Armenian genocide is an insult on the Turkish people. The French do not have any scientific information on the so-called Armenian genocide," told Kurkcuoglu.

Firat University's Senate made a declaration on Monday that the draft law in the French Parliament that bans all denials of the so-called Armenian genocide is "shameful". The declaration stressed that Armenia's first premier Ovanos Kacaznuni rejected all claims of an "Armenian genocide". According to the declaration, what happened to the Armenians took place during a time of war and self-defense by the Ottoman government.

Meanwhile, university students in Baku, Azerbaijan protested the French Socialist Party's draft law that punishes the denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. The protestors, including Turkish students, read a statement in front of the French Embassy in Baku. The statement mentioned that the Turks treated all ethnic groups with respect in history. "It is France that committed genocide in Algeria and other locations throughout the world," indicated the Baku statement.

/www.anatoliantimes.com/