Criminalization of genocide denial to affect policy of Europe, Armenian experts and politicians believe

Adoption of the French Senate of the law on criminalizing the denial of genocides, including the Armenian genocide, will play a major role in the overall process of international recognition of that fact. The law will also have an impact on European politics in general. This opinion was announced by Armenian politicians and experts.

"Adoption of the French Senate of the law on criminalizing denial of the Armenian genocide is extremely important not only for further deepening of the Armenian and French relations, but also for international recognition of the Armenian genocide," Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice-Speaker of the Parliament, the member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, stated.

According to Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director of the "Caucasus" Institute, "the law will facilitate the task of Armenian organizations in Europe and the United States, which activities are aimed at international recognition of the genocide." According to him, "the law on criminalizing the denial of genocides that have been recognized by France will affect the political field of the entire Europe."

According to the political scientist, it cannot be ruled out that later France will toughen punishment for denying the genocides. "I do not also exclude that France will continue the logic of the process within the EU. In that case, the issues of the Armenian genocide will be the political condition in the dialogue between the EU and Turkey," Sergey Minasyan said.

Kiro Manoyan, the head of the Yerevan Office of the "Hay Dat", the member of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) "Dashnaktsutyun", has expressed the similar point of view. According to Kiro Manoyan, many European countries may follow the example of France.

In his turn, Karen Bekaryan, Chairman of the NGO "European Integration", treats the Turkey's position with regard to the draft law adopted by France as non-constructive. According to him, "Europeans have realized that the country that is a candidate for EU membership has a complete lack of the political culture."

The process of international recognition of the Armenian genocide has begun, and it is impossible to stop it. This was declared by political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan, Director of the "Caucasus" Institute, on January 25 during Yerevan-Moscow video bridge on the topic of "Prohibition of denial of Armenian genocide. Political consequences".

Turning to the issue of the Azerbaijan's position on the problem, the political scientist has emphasized that the official Baku, not having any relationship to the issue, expressed rather sharp reaction to the decision of the French Senate. However, the political scientist believes that fact cannot somehow affect the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

In his turn, Vladimir Zakharov, Director of the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea and Caspian region, commenting on the decision of the French Senate, has emphasized by that step France had shown its high ethical and moral standards and proved to be more democratic than the United States. The political scientist shares the opinion that such an important political event will lead to a wave of the recognition of the Armenian genocide around the world.

Andrei Areshev, the staff member of the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea and Caspian region, the expert of the Centre for the Study of Central Asia and Caucasus of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RAS (Russian Academy of Sciences), has expressed his opinion that the France's adoption of the draft law would contribute to changes in Turkish society. According to him, the Ankara's reaction, which is seen at present, is temporary, and soon the situation will stabilize and relations between Turkey and France will be normalized.

According to the expert, the sharp criticism of France and the threat of rupture of diplomatic relations are more intended for a domestic audience. "Turkey needs a more balanced approach and analysis of dramatic pages of its history," Andrei Areshev has concluded.