The bill which will punish with a fine and prison sentence anyone who denies the Armenian genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Turks will be discussed today in the French Senate.

The bill has already been approved by the lower house of the French Parliament on December 22.

Turkey has being vehemently protesting at the decision by the French lower house threatening heavy consequences in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Although tones have been more moderated in recent weeks, still thousands of Turks living in Europe have staged demonstrations in Paris.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arýnç have praised the protesters saying that for "the first time tens of thousands of Turks from all over Europe gathered in Paris to raise their voices for their righteous cause." Arýnç also said that if the bill pass "there were thousands of Turks and intellectuals who would deny the allegations of genocide".

Armenians living in Paris are planning a demo outside the senate today prior to the voting.

In a letter French president Sarkozy recently wrote to Turkish PM Erdoðan he said “The aim of the law that will, first and foremost, be applicable in France and to French citizens is to protect the memories of members of our society, who have been carrying along with them for a very long time the feeling of denial toward the realities their ancestors went through, and to remedy the wounds that were inflicted 100 years ago”.

Responding to the letter Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu said that “No letter will change Turkey's attitude regarding the bill”.