Beijing, Feb 4 (Inditop.com) China Thursday lodged protest over Switzerland offering shelter to its two dissidents from Uygur, currently lodged in Guantanamo Bay detention centre, saying the move will hurt ties between the two countries.
Switzerland’s decision to take two Chinese terrorist suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, would undermine its relations with China, said Ma Zhaoxu, foreign ministry spokesman.
The remarks came after Switzerland said Wednesday that it was ready to house the two members of China’s Muslim minority group in Jura, a canton in the country’s northwest, in order to help the US close down the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba.
China has made its position clear on this issue and lodged solemn representations to Switzerland at the first meeting on joint study of the feasibility of China-Switzerland free trade area, being held in Beijing, Ma said.
She said that seven Chinese Uygur terrorist suspects currently held at the Guantanamo Bay were the members of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, which is included in the sanctions list of the UN Security Council, Xinhua reported.
All countries have the obligations to fulfil their international commitments, she said, adding that “Switzerland, as a member of the United Nations, should also honour the commitments”.
The suspects, from China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, were swept up by the US during the Afghanistan war launched after the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks.
