Hollande not planning to go to Armenia: Ambassador

ANKARA

It was reported on Jan. 27 that French President Hollande was planning to go to Yerevan to attend a commemoration of the alleged genocide during World War I. AFP PHOTO / GEORGES GOBET

The itinerary of French President François Hollande does not include a visit to Armenia on April 24, Laurent Bili, French ambassador to Turkey has said.

“There is no such planned visit within my knowledge. The story was a surprise to me as well,” Bili told the Hürriyet Daily News today.

It was reported on Jan. 27 that Hollande was planning to go to Yerevan to attend a commemoration of the alleged genocide during World War I. The story also said the move aimed to deliver a strong genocide message to Armenians, in lieu of passing a bill penalizing denial of Armenian genocide. A recent attempt to criminalize denial was struck down by the Constitutional Council in 2012 during Nicholas Sarkozy’s presidency.