The United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has asked Switzerland to take in some Syrian refugees, says Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter.
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The request is currently being considered by the relevant authorities, the minister told parliamentarians on Monday.
Switzerland is involved in many ways in helping to resolve the “drama” in Syria, Burkhalter said. Apart from its actions within the UN and its support for resolutions, the country is also taking part in UN and European Union sanctions.
Human rights abuses must be condemned by the international community with one voice and those responsible brought to justice at the International Criminal Court, he continued.
Switzerland is also considering boosting humanitarian efforts in Jordan and Lebanon and has provided an expert to advise UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan. In addition, Switzerland is taking part in dialogue with all parties in Syria, added the minister.
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Red Cross finds “real need” in Syria
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The Swiss-run International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a media statement on Thursday, expressing its concern about the “rapidly mounting needs” of ordinary people, ranging from difficulty in accessing medical care, to fuel shortages and buying food. Not all areas are equally affected, Hicham Hassan, ICRC public relations officer for the Near and…
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Opening the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, which was notable for its urgent debate on Syria, Burkhalter condemned “all the human rights violations committed in Syria”. He did this as other Western countries, including the United States and France, explicitly condemned the regime led by Bashar al-Assad. It signalled…
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Chappatte has wryly summarised events of the Arab Spring since they began hitting the headlines last year. These drawings appeared in the International Herald Tribune, in the Geneva daily Le Temps and in the Sunday edition of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
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