The European Union on Friday condemned a French bill that would make it a crime to deny that the World War I-era killings of Armenians in Turkey were genocide, describing it as counterproductive at a critical stage in Turkey's EU entry talks.

"We don't think that this decision at this moment is helpful in the context of the European Union's relations with Turkey," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said. "This is not the best way to contribute to something we think is important."

On Thursday, French lawmakers in a 106-19 vote approved a bill that would criminalize denying that the mass killings of Armenians amounted to genocide. Turkey denounced the French lawmakers' decision, saying it would harm bilateral relations.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the bill, "instead of opening up the debate, would rather close it down, and thus have a negative impact."

"We don't achieve real dialogue and real reconciliation by ultimatums, but by dialogue. Therefore, this law is counterproductive," Rehn told reporters.

Rehn said it came at a bad time as the 25-member bloc was trying to avoid "a train crash" in negotiations with the predominantly Muslim nation.

"The real issue now is to avoid a train crash because of a slowing down of the reform process (in Turkey) and because of Turkey not yet meeting its obligations" in EU entry requirements, Rehn said.

Barroso said "the very sensitive issue" of Armenia should be made by "Turkish society itself."

"Frankly, we don't think it is helpful that another parliament outside takes a legislative action on a matter of historical interpretation and analysis," he said.

The Armenia genocide issue has become intertwined with ongoing debate in France and across Europe about whether to admit Turkey into the EU. France is home to hundreds of thousands of people whose families came from Armenia.

France has already recognized the 1915-19 killings of up to 1.5 million Armenians as genocide. Under Thursday's bill, those who contest it was genocide would risk up to a year in prison and fines of up to US$56,000.

Rehn appealed to Greek and Turkish Cypriots to help smooth Turkey's talks.

"I trust that both communities on the island, all the parties and especially all the EU member states will fully support (efforts) to unblock the current stalemate on Cyprus," Rehn said.

(China Daily October 14, 2006)