Switzerland lends security support for G7 summit in France

Switzerland wants to contribute to the security of the G7 summit in France Keystone-SDA

A few days before the start of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, thousands of army and police personnel as well as customs officers are being deployed at Geneva airport and border crossings. Tension is rising as US President Donald Trump is also expected to attend.

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The G7 summit is being organised by France and will take place from June 15-17 in Evian-les-Bains. The delegations of the world’s largest economic powers are expected to land at Geneva Airport. Swiss President Guy Parmelin will receive the heads of state and government of the participating countries in Geneva.

Switzerland will ensure security during the delegations’ journey by land and air. In contrast to the G8 summit in 2003, these delegations will all be accommodated in France, which will limit the impact of the summit on Switzerland, Alain Gaschen, the government’s representative for the G7 summit, told the media in Geneva on Thursday.

Nevertheless, traffic on the lakeshore will be affected, particularly due to the increased border controls from Friday. Operational cooperation with France is going very well, but no agreement has yet been reached on cost sharing, Gaschen continued.

Following a decision by the federal government and parliament, the army is supporting the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais with around 4,000 soldiers. The aim of this subsidiary deployment is to relieve the burden on civilian security organisations and provide the cantonal authorities with additional capacity.

Geneva Airport is the “gateway” and “Switzerland’s calling card” to the G7 summit, emphasised Gaschen. Switzerland and France had the same goal: the safe and successful organisation of the summit. Ambassador Gaschen emphasised the importance of this dialogue platform in a world characterised by increasing tensions and conflicts.

Switzerland’s commitment also underlined Geneva’s role as an open and accessible multilateral platform for dialogue.

Translated from French by AI/jdp

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