Brussels Calls French Bill On Armenia Killings 'Unhelpful'
October 13, 2006
The French National Assembly's vote prompted demonstrations by Turks outside the French diplomatic mission in Turkey (epa)
October 13, 2006 -- The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, today said that a French bill on the mass killing of Armenians some 90 years ago could harm the bloc's ties with Turkey.
Barroso has described the bill as "unhelpful."
Armenia has welcomed approval of the bill by the lower house of the French parliament.
The French legislation would make it a crime to deny that the 1915-17 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turks constituted genocide.
Azerbajian has echoed Ankara's outrage at the French move.
(AFP, AP)