There will not be great changes in relations between Armenia and Turkey and between the Armenian and Turkish communities of France, Provence-Marseille University Professor Patrick Donabedian stated, in an interview with RFI Radio, commenting on the likely impact of the final adoption, in France, of the bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides.
“France would be more at ease in the sense that the Armenians, to some extent, would be free of those wounds that are created every time when they brazenly deny the existence of this historical fact. And I believe Turkey’s pressure would not last long. What’s important is that the pressure exerted on Turkey must be very strong so that official Ankara would ultimately accept the historicity of the Armenian people’s extermination,” Patrick Donabedian said.
He also noted that the Armenian community of France reacted to passing of the aforesaid bill with “joy, relief, and a sense triumph.”
And speaking about the matter of teaching the Armenian Genocide as a course in France, the Professor said: “There are facts which are corroborated and are apparent for all noble historians. There is scholarly work, history; there are confirmed facts. There is but one history, and nothing changes in the teaching of this history in France. Let us hope this would be the case in Turkey proper, too.”
“Today’s Turks are not to be blamed that they were deceived all through the 20th Century. Now lot has to be done inside Turkey so that truth is finally restored and the Armenian Genocide is officially accepted in that country. I believe this will happen,” Patrick Donabedian stated.
To note, the French National Assembly passed Thursday the bill that criminalizes the denial of the Armenian Genocide. But the bill still needs to be approved by the French Senate, and the respective discussions could last several months.
via Turkey’s pressure will not last long – French-Armenian professor | Armenia News – NEWS.am.