French President Nicolas Sarkozy has sent a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, asking him to refrain from excessive steps towards hampering the Senate’s efforts to debate the Armenian Genocide denial criminalization bill.

''We perfectly realize what grief Turkey suffered as a result of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. I know it is hard to admit what happened in the course of history,'' Sarkozy said, noting that his country had come to terms with such bitter truths as complicity in the slave trade and expulsion of Jews to concentration camps.

Sarkozy further referred to his 2007 speech in Algeria, where he confessed to France’s colonial policies in the country.

''Turkey is a big country and an important partner for France. I wish us both - as two partners and allies - to rely on friendship. I would like you to know that any excessive step in connection with this law would harm the two countries' multilateral relations, laying the entire burden of responsibility on them both, '' reads the statement.