The French Constitutional Council yesterday quashed a draft law criminalizing the denial of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, arguing that “the legislation did unconstitutional harm to the exercise of freedom of expression and communication”.

French President Sarkozy, who supported the legislation, pledged to submit a new bill with revised language but offered no indication as to how a new bill might circumvent the objections of the Council.

Sarkozy's office said in a statement he recognized the "immense disappointment and profound sadness" of the law's supporters. Sarkozy said he will meet soon with representatives of France's Armenian community, many of whom had welcomed the law's passage with a swell of relief.

The Turkish government hailed the Council’s decision and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters that Ankara would consider lifting economic sanctions and the reinstatement of political and military cooperation with France.

“We consider the annulment of the legislation by the Constitutional Council as a step that complies with the principles of freedom of expression and research, the rule of law and international law in France,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday evening in a statement.

Franck Mourad Papazian, President of the Council of Co-ordination of Armenian Organisations in France sharply criticized the ruling.

"We have been totally outraged by the Constitutional Council's decision at its very core, which is based on politics rather than on legal grounds.”