PARIS. – French FM Alain Juppé gave an interview to a Portuguese TV, released on Jan 7.

On the tension between Ankara and Paris after the French National Assembly passed the bill on criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide, Juppé called again Turkey ‘to react not so sharply,’ as ‘it will be inevitably necessary to reestablish relations of cooperation and partnership,’ French Le Point reports quoting Agency France-Presse.

“I clearly expressed my point of view,” he said. “I belong to the government after all, which has a position and I accept it.”

French National Assembly has passed a bill on Dec 22 last year on criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The bill penalizes denial of the genocide fact intending a year of imprisonment and €45,000 fine.