Embassy planned in Armenia
Switzerland wishes to strengthen its relations with Armenia by opening an embassy there, Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey announced on Friday.
She was speaking in the capital, Yerevan, where she held official talks with her Armenian counterpart, Eduard Nalbaldian.
Among the topics discussed by the two ministers was the situation in the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is surrounded by Azerbaijan. Switzerland has attempted to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the conflict.
Other topics for discussion were bilateral issues and opportunities for closer cooperation between the two countries in the framework of international organisations.
After her talks with Nalbaldian, Calmy-Rey paid a courtesy visit to President Serzh Sargsyan.
The Swiss embassy in the neighbouring republic of Georgia currently handles Swiss interests in Armenia. Only the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has an office in Yerevan.
A foreign ministry spokesman said no date had been fixed for the opening of the new embassy.
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