YEREVAN (Armenpress)–The chairman of Armenia’s Agro-Industrial party Hmayak Hovanessian introduced a measure calling for the criminal prosecution of individuals who call into question the veracity of the Armenian Genocide in Armenia.
To this end–prime minister Andranik Markarian–who leads the Republican Party of Armenia’said that such individuals must be treated differently–but not be subjected to public prosecution.
Meanwhile–Armenia’s foreign minister Vartan Oskanian reiterated the government’s position of the so-called Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission–which gave way to Hovanessian’s concerns in introducing the bill.
Oskanian said that the Kocharian administration was not involved in the planning and process of TARC.
In discussing the party’s proposed legislation–Oskanian explained that the issue should be carefully studied and must be viewed from different perspectives–in order to become a viable step–given that the Genocide issue has different aspects.
Oskanian expressed hope that the measure–when introduced–would be subject to careful discussion and analysis–but refrained from expressing his position on the matter.