Diplomatic back channels: Castro stretches out a hand to Clinton in Geneva
Cuban president Fidel Castro flew to Geneva in 1998 for a world summit and while there wished to initiate ties with US president Bill Clinton. While his hopes were dashed, the Cuban leader did leave a lasting impression on the international community.
This content was published on
1 minute
Genève Vision/Claire Braillard/dbu
Français
fr
Coulisses diplomatiques: Castro-Clinton, une rencontre avortée à Genève
In 1998, for the 50th anniversary of the WHO and GATT (now WTO), government leaders and officials from all over the world flocked to Geneva. Among them were Castro and then US president Bill Clinton.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Castro had hoped the summit could prove an occasion to improve Cuba’s relationship with the United States. Though Castro and Clinton both stayed at Geneva’s InterContinental hotel, the only time they were in close proximity was in the assembly hall of the United Nations.
While Clinton failed to acknowledge his presence, Castro did leave an impression on many others, including a Swiss public television (RTS) journalist who interviewed him, and remembers the Cuban leader as “a great charmer”.
Diplomatic back channels: when Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva
This content was published on
When Joe Biden meets Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, it won’t be the first time the leaders of two superpowers hold a summit in the Swiss city.
Diplomatic back channels: years of USA-Syria talks in Geneva
This content was published on
The situation at the end of the 1960s in the Middle East is tense. Israel and the Arab states are at war. Syria clashes against Israel over occupied territories in the Golan Heights. The US hopes to stabilise the region by strengthening ties with Arab nations. It is in Geneva that presidents Hafez al-Assad and Jimmy Carter meet in 1977 for peace negotiations. The talks are unsuccessful. In 1990, president George H. W. Bush meets Assad in Geneva again. The context is tense, and only a few weeks…
Diplomatic back channels: Switzerland represents US interests in Iran
This content was published on
The rupture of diplomatic ties between the US and Iran in the wake of the Iranian revolution led Switzerland to represent US interests in Iran.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Diplomatic back channels: when Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva
This content was published on
When Joe Biden meets Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16, it won’t be the first time the leaders of two superpowers hold a summit in the Swiss city.
This content was published on
As tensions and oil prices rise in the Middle East, the Swiss foreign ministry is offering its good offices. But what are they?
This content was published on
Whether it’s acting as a messenger between two non-speaking states or trying to actively mediate and broker a resolution, Switzerland’s good offices have a long tradition. The alpine nation first acted as a protecting power in the 19th century when it looked after the interests of the Kingdom of Bavaria and the Dukedom of Baden…
This content was published on
“The leaders will discuss the full range of pressing issues, as we seek to restore predictability and stability to the US-Russia relationship,” read a White House statementExternal link issued on Tuesday. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev held talks in Geneva on Monday to pave the way for…
Minsk ‘hijacking’: Swiss call for release of Belarusian journalist
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry has joined the EU and US in calling for the release of Roman Protasevich, who was forced off a Ryanair flight.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.