SWITZERLAND TO ANNOUNCE THE VERDICT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL CASES FEBRUARY 9
armradio.am
05.02.2010 12:38
A top Turkish diplomat will travel to Switzerland to seek support
against an Armenian court ruling that Ankara says threatens the
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia. Questions linger
over his efforts, however, because Bern considers it a crime to deny
the Armenian Genocide.
Sinirlioglu’s visit will also take place just a few days before a final
verdict is issued for three Turks who were found guilty of denying
genocide claims, the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review reports.
After months of Swiss-mediation and U.S. encouragement, Turkey and
Armenia signed two protocols in October to establish diplomatic ties
and reopen their shared border.
But the process hit the rocks after the Armenian court upheld the
legality of the protocols, but underlined that the interpretation and
application of the protocols should be in compliance with the Armenian
Declaration of Independence, which states: "The Republic of Armenia
stands in support of the task of achieving international recognition
of the 1915 Genocide in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia."
Following the decision, Turkey asked Switzerland and the United States
for clarification, bur both said the decision would not hamper the
commission’s discussions but refused to give an assurance in writing.
Sinirlioglu will try to convince Swiss authorities at talks in Bern
on Friday to give a binding assurance that the historians’ commission
will work without any prejudice about the final outcome. This could
prove difficult, however, because denial of the Armenian Genocide is
a crime according to Swiss law.
A final verdict is expected Feb. 9 on an appeal from three Turks
found guilty of denying Armenian genocide claims. Turkish politician
Dogu Perincek was the first Turkish citizen to be found guilty by
the Swiss court. He is also among the suspects in the trial of an
alleged gang called Ergenekon that is suspected of seeking to topple
the government by staging a coup.