Turkey summons Swiss envoy over investigation into minister

Hürriyet

REUTERS Photo

Swiss Ambassador Raimund Kunz was summoned by the Turkish foreign ministry in Ankara after a Swiss prosecutor launched a probe into Turkey's EU minister for saying "the Armenian genocide doesn't exist." 

Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu summoned Kunz to his office, asking for an explanation. Sinirlioğlu reportedly told Kunz that the incident was "unacceptable."

"There is no Armenian genocide. Let them arrest me," Bağış had said last week following a question from a French reporter on the 1915 killings.

Zurich public prosecutor Christine Braunschweig confirmed the probe and told Doğan news agency that they were looking into whether or not Bağış had said the words.

"We will look into Minister Egemen Bağış' immunity," Braunschweig further said. "If there is anything illegal and if he does not have the diplomatic immunity, then we will file the lawsuit."

Bağış has refused to speak on the matter until the initial probe ends, daily Hürriyet reported.