The previously mentioned attempt by the French National Assembly to criminalise denial of the Armenian genocide has failed to become law. The socialist drafted proposal would have made denying the genocide punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine of €45,000.

In order to become law, the bill would have to have been approved by the country’s senate. This is dominated by the centre-right government of Dominique de Villepin and President Jacques Chirac - both of whom are opposed to the bill - and was always likely to reject it. The bill was little more than an anti-Turkish gesture and, not surprisingly, it wasn’t put on the upper house’s agenda and - with the parliamentary session almost over and French elections on the way - the bill has been allowed to fade away.

On the face of it, then, this bill looks like a bit of low-cost gesture politics on the part of the French socialists. But the cost is higher than immediately apparent, as Turkish writer Elif Shafak - previously tried in her country for commenting on the sensitive subject - explains.

The bill, which came at the same time as an EU deadline for Ankara to fulfil its obligation over Cyprus or face a freeze of its membership talks, was seen in Turkey as yet another negative political message from the EU. This led to a nationalist reaction in the country which, ultimately, harmed people like Shafak who are trying to push for an open debate about sensitive issues such as the Armenian genocide.

“I think that 1915 is such a sensitive and delicate political theme that it shouldn’t be subject to political power games. It should not be up to politicians to decide which version of history should be acknowledged by everyone,” she told EUobserver.

“I criticise my own government for curbing freedom of expression. But it is a universal principle. If I defend it in Turkey, I will defend it in France or everywhere with the same zeal and dedication. And the French bill was very much against this principle.”

She goes on to argue that Turkish society is becoming more open and is moving closer to the EU and that the trials of writers and publishers reflects a panic response on the part of a minority that would prefer to maintain the status quo.

The censorious antics of the French National Assembly does nothing to encourage dialogue or find answers and, instead, plays into the hands of the minority who would prefer to keep things as they are.

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