supporters and opponents of the bill demonstrated outside the Senate

Ankara threatens on Monday retaliatory measures against Paris as the French senate passes a bill that outlaws denial of the Armenian genocide.

In a written statement following Monday's vote, Turkey's foreign ministry said: "We strongly condemn this decision which is... an example of irresponsibility."

"Politicizing the understanding of justice and history through other people's past and damaging freedom of expression in a tactless manner are first and foremost a loss for France."

Meanwhile on twitter, the head of Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee, Volkan Bozkir said: “France opened a black page in its history”.

For his part, Turkey's ambassador to France, Tahsin Burcuoglu, said the vote could cause a "total rupture" of relations between the two countries.
"Turkey will never accept such a law, and now everybody will pay a price, including Turkey, France, and the Armenian communities," he said.

"You can expect diplomatic relations will be at the level of charge d'affaires, not ambassador anymore."

The bill was approved by 127 votes to 86 in the French upper house on Monday.

As the Senate convened, supporters and opponents of the bill demonstrated outside the Senate building in Paris.

France's national assembly, the lower house of parliament, had already overwhelmingly voted in favor of the bill last month, prompting Ankara to freeze political and military ties with Paris.

The text will now be put to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is expected to approve it before parliament takes a break at the end of February ahead of the presidential election.