Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 30 / Trend M. Aliyev /
The issue of the French Senate adopting a law criminalizing the denial of the so-called "Armenian Genocide" is still on the Azerbaijani parliament's agenda, Vice Speaker Bahar Muradova said at a press conference today.
"The Azerbaijani government and the parliament continue efforts to prevent the final adoption of the law taking into account its forthcoming consideration by the French Constitutional Court,"
Muradova said.
"We are categorically against the law, which embodies a historic injustice," she said. "Unfortunately, the law was presented upon French President Nicolas Sarkozy's initiative, and was adopted by parliament."
The Azerbaijani parliament adopted an appeal to French MPs on Dec. 30.
Vice Speaker stressed that Azerbaijan perceives any actions against Turkey's interests as those directed against it.
"We advise those who follow whether Azerbaijan supports Turkey or not to do useless work," she said. "Azerbaijan was always and will be close to Turkey."
Previously, Turkish media tried to diminish Azerbaijan's reaction to the law criminalizing the denial of the genocide adopted by the French parliament.
After eight hours of discussion, the Senate (upper chamber of the French parliament) voted for adoption of the law criminalising denial of the so called "Armenian genocide". Some 127 senators voted for, while 86 against.
The Lower House of the French Parliament adopted a bill criminalizing the denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" on Dec.22, 2011
The bill demands about a year's imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros for denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide".