MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th November, 2022) � The Swiss charge d'affaires ad interim in Ankara was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry over a break-in of supporters of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the organization designated terrorist by Turkey, into the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, the ministry's spokesman, Tanju Bilgic, said on Saturday.
"Due to a tolerant attitude of Swiss authorities, supporters of the PKK showed audacity and forced their way into the WHO building. In this regard, we expressed a resolute protest to the charge d'affaires ad interim of the Swiss embassy in Ankara, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, and Swiss authorities," Bilgic was quoted by the Anadolu news agency as saying.
The ministry's spokesman also noted that Turkey and its citizens living in Switzerland had legitimate right to expect that the Swiss government would prevent "black propaganda" of the PKK and all kinds of its illegal activity.
"We expect that Switzerland, which hosts international organizations, upholds its obligations arising from international law and puts an end to propaganda operations of the bloody terrorist organization," Bilgic added.
On November 9, members and supporters of the PKK illegally entered the headquarters of the WHO in Geneva, which sparked criticism of Turkish authorities that have been complaining about PKK's protests regularly organized near Turkish diplomatic missions in Switzerland.
A military conflict between the PKK and the Turkish government forces began in 1984 and escalated in 2015. Ankara launched several air and land operations against the PKK bases in northern Iraq. The presence of the Turkish military in the Zlikan camp has sparked a dispute between Baghdad and Ankara, which claims it needs to combat the PKK.
