An Armenian couple has named its firstborn child after French President Nicholas Sarkozy two days after the French Senate adopted a bill criminalizing any public denial of what is recognized in France as the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
The infant, Sarkozy Avetisian, was born in Armenia's second-largest city, Gyumri.
The father, Karapet Avetisian, told RFE/RL that "on behalf of the entire Armenian people and on my own behalf, I thank Sarkozy for taking this step."
WATCH: The Avetisians talk about their son
The bill passed in the French lower house in December and now awaits Sarkozy's signature before coming into law.
Turkey is outraged at the legislation.
In 2001, when France first recognized the Ottoman-era mass killing of Armenians as genocide, another couple named its newborn twins "Jacques" and "Chirac" in honor of then-French President Jacques Chirac.
-- Satenik Vantsian
The infant, Sarkozy Avetisian, was born in Armenia's second-largest city, Gyumri.
The father, Karapet Avetisian, told RFE/RL that "on behalf of the entire Armenian people and on my own behalf, I thank Sarkozy for taking this step."
WATCH: The Avetisians talk about their son
The bill passed in the French lower house in December and now awaits Sarkozy's signature before coming into law.
Turkey is outraged at the legislation.
In 2001, when France first recognized the Ottoman-era mass killing of Armenians as genocide, another couple named its newborn twins "Jacques" and "Chirac" in honor of then-French President Jacques Chirac.
-- Satenik Vantsian
