Hollande confirmed law criminalizing denial of Armenian Genocide

French President Francois Hollande confirmed Saturday plans for a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian genocide with representatives of the Armenian community, the Elysee Palace said.

The historical question has long been a hot-button issue between Turkey and Armenia, a dispute that has also drawn in other countries and earlier this year sparked a diplomatic crisis between Paris and Ankara, the AFP reports.

The source writes that socialist Hollande has clarified in a talk with the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) that he will propose a similar law, the group said Saturday.

"Francois Hollande has again expressed his willingness to propose a bill designed to curb the denial of the Armenian genocide, as he had said during his campaign and even before," said the group.

It said Hollande had contacted them to clarify his position after confusion over statements by his Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
The Elysee Palace confirmed the telephone conversation and told AFP: "The president expressed his commitments during the campaign. He will keep them."