Thursday, November 26 2015 10:03

 Armenia takes a positive view of the Russian bill on accountability for the denial of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915, Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov has told ArmInfo. To note, Sharmazanov is in St. Petersburg on a working visit.       

"As the head of the Armenian Delegation to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, I will convey Armenia's positive opinion about the bill during the St. Petersburg meetings on the sidelines of the 8th plenary session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, including the meeting with the Russian State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin," Sharmazanov says. He stresses that it was Turkey's downing of the Russian plane that made the truth obvious for the Russian colleagues - impunity paves the way for new crimes. "The downing of the Russian plane, which was conducting an anti-terrorist mission, confirmed that Ankara continues the policy of Taleat and Enver," he says. 

To note, A Just Russia party (Spravedlivaya Rossiya) has proposed a bill on accountability for denial of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923. A group of Russian lawmakers, including the leader of A Just Russia party faction Sergei Mironov, submitted the relevant bill to the State Duma on November 25. This move by the Russian lawmakers was made a day after the Turkish Air Force shot down a Russian Su-24 jet near the Syrian-Turkish border. Nevertheless, today Pavel Krasheninnikov, Head of the State Duma Committee on Civil, Criminal, Arbitral and Procedural Legislation, said the bill is not relevant.  "I have not heard anyone in Russia deny the Armenian Genocide. This year our president attended the Armenian Genocide Centennial events in Armenia and delivered a speech there. There is no mass denial in Russia," he said. 

Meanwhile, Russian lawmaker, international law specialist Vasily Likhachyov thinks that one should not link the given bill with the situation around the downing of the Russian aircraft over the Syrian territory by the Turkish air force. He stresses the need to thoroughly study the bill, especially the provisions concerning the penalties and the law enforcement practice. At the same time, the proposal "has the right to be considered", he says.