At April 24 events Switzerland will be represented at ambassadorial level.
The Swiss Federal Council`s official message states: "This is in keeping with the Federal Council's tradition of participating with the appropriate restraint and discretion in commemorations of international historic events."
It is also mentioned in the statement that Switzerland has repeatedly condemned the tragic events of 1915.
At the same time the message states that Switzerland will continue working towards the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. "One of the provisions of the Zurich Protocols of 2009 envisions the establishment of a joint commission of independent historians from both countries tasked with re- examining these tragic events", states the message.
To note, Switzerland has recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide. The country has also adopted a law that criminalizes the negation of the Genocide. Chairman of the Turkish Patriotic Party Dogu Perincek has been convicted in conformity with that law. However, he then appealed the decision at the European Court of Human Rights. The Swiss government turned to ECHR carrying their point. The Swiss government has not yet delivered a verdict in Perincek's case.
To remind, on October 10, 2009 through the Swiss mediation Armenia and Turkey signed protocols on the normalization and development of the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Turkish Republic. The protocols were to be ratified without any preconditions. Ankara, however, refused to ratify the protocols and advanced a precondition on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On February 16, 2015 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan recalled the Zurich protocols from Parliament. The president's reason for this was Ankara's non-willingness to normalize the diplomatic relations with Armenia.