The New Anatolian, Turkey
May 5 2005
Switzerland’s Turkey ambassador: Allegations should be left to historians
The New Anatolian / Ankara
News of a Swiss public prosecutor conducting an inquiry into Turkish
Historical Society (TTK) head Yusuf Halacoglu due to his denial of
the Armenian genocide claims was addressed by the Swiss ambassador
yesterday.
Switzerland’s Ankara Ambassador Walter Gyger stated that his
country’s judicial authority is free and that the Swiss government
can’t interfere with their investigation.
Speaking to journalists at the Swiss Embassy, Gyger said that his
country’s policy regarding the so-called Armenian genocide is the
same as Turkey’s.
“Like Turkey, our government thinks that the issue should be left to
historians,” said Gyger. “Our government supports the idea of
establishing a commission between Turkey and Armenia to study the
so-called Armenian genocide.”
Gyger didn’t answer a question on whether the same public prosecutor
would conduct an inquiry on him or the Swiss government for using the
term “so-called Armenian genocide.”
Gyger stated that there are no arrest warrants for Halacoglu. Gyger
declined to say whether reports that Public Prosecutor Andrej Gnehm
would move to arrest the Turkish professor were true. Gnehm has
previously stated that he would execute an arrest warrant for
Halacoglu if he fails to make a deposition.
“The only thing I can say now as an ambassador is that such a warrant
does not presently exist,” said Gyger. “You should ask such questions
to the public prosecutor himself.”