PARIS (Agence France Presse)—The French Senate on Jan. 10 said it will debate a bill to outlaw denial of the Armenian Genocide on Jan. 23, despite a diplomatic spat with Turkey.
The French Lower House approved the law last month, threatening anyone who denies that the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turk forces amounted to genocide with jail.
Ankara froze political and military ties with France when the bill was passed by the National Assembly, and has threatened further measures if it continues through the Senate or is approved by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
France recognized the genocide in 2001, but the new bill would go further, punishing anyone who denies this with a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros (~$57,000).
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