YEREVAN. թ§Չ-Չ Annette Groth, German MP and head of the Left Group (Die Linke) at the German Bundestagթ§Չ-Չ§s (Parliament) Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, gave comments to Armenian News-NEWS.am concerning Franceթ§Չ-Չ§s bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.թԹ
թ§Չ-ժDie Linke is trying in every way to contribute to the democratization of Turkish policy and the reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. The Group criticizes the Turkish governmentթ§Չ-Չ§s demeanor with respect to the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. Reconciliation between the two countries will be difficult without justice. It is important for Die Linke that the German Bundestag likewise recognize the German Empireթ§Չ-Չ§s responsibility in the Armenian Genocide issue. We believe Germany must apologize for the assistance in, and the deliberate permission for, the Genocide. Turkish societyթ§Չ-Չ§s critical revision of history is an important prerequisite for todayթ§Չ-Չ§s Turkey to be able to conduct another policy in the minoritiesթ§Չ-Չ§ issue. We are convinced that Turkeyթ§Չ-Չ§s acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide is the primary important condition which will contribute to the development of democratic traditions and learning of lessons from history,թ§Չ-Թ Annette Groth specifically said.
To note, with a vote of 127 in favor and 86 against, Franceթ§Չ-Չ§s Senate passed Monday the bill that criminalizes the denial of the genocides which this country has formally recognized. And these are the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust. This bill sets a one-year prison sentence plus a 45-thousand-Euro fine for anyone who denies these genocides. According to the regulations, the French President will ratify it within fifteen days. And Turkey had announced earlier that if the bill were to pass, it will impose a number of sanctions against France.
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