The National Assembly of France adopting the proposal on the law criminalizing denial of the Aremnain Genocide does not mean at all that the law will be in effect already today, said French Ambasador to Azerbaijan Bernard du Chaffaut. In his words, to that end the law should pass a long legislative procedure: the Senate should include it in its agenda, then approve it with a language identical to that proposed by the Assembly. “Taking into account the friendly attitude of Senate President Christian Poncelet towards Azerbaijan, I doubt this. Besides, if the languages are different, additional hearing will be scheduled to arrive at a common content. Finally the President has to approve the law. He may return it to the Parliament for reconsideration. If the law does not pass these barriers before April 2007, the proposal will lose its force. Besides, the Constitutional Council should consider the document and may consider it running counter to freedom of expression and speech principles of the French Constitution,” Bernard du Chaffaut believes.
In any case the matter does not concern the Government, which is against the law and considers the docuemtn is inapt. The matter is of proposal on the law at the Parliament. The Government and the President deal with the foreign policy of France. French co-chairmanship at the OSCE MG is under the jurisdiction of the Government, specifically the MFA, not the Parliament, Bernard du Chaffaut said. Thus, there are no reasons for withdrawal of France from the MG. Paris has had an impartial stand in the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Neither there are reasons to discuss France’s chairmanship at the OSCE MG,” the French diplomat underscored, reports Trend.
