Balkans and EU are policy priorities for new state secretary

Switzerland’s new state secretary in the foreign ministry, Franz von Däniken, took up his new job on Monday, saying Swiss-EU relations and the situation in the Balkans would be among his top policy priorities.

Switzerland’s new state secretary in the foreign ministry, Franz von Däniken, took up his new job on Monday, saying Swiss-EU relations and the situation in the Balkans would be among his top policy priorities.

Von Däniken, who will be Switzerland’s key contact man in Brussels, said he would work toward the full implementation of the bilateral accords signed between the 15-nation European Union and Switzerland earlier this year.
The accords cover a broad spectrum of issues, ranging from transport, to the free movement of people and to the mutual acceptance of technical standards. The accords still have to be approved by the parliaments in Switzerland and all EU member states.

Political observers in Switzerland say anti-EU groups will likely force a national referendum on the bilateral accords. But von Däniken says he will publicly campaign in favour of the accords.

“The challenges and problems of today cannot be solved at a national level alone,” he said, referring to such international issues as migration, security policy and economic problems.

“The fate of Switzerland is inextricably linked to that of Europe and the Swiss must not think that European affairs will not affect them just because Switzerland is not a member of the EU,” von Däniken added.

Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, speaking in her National Day address to the nation on Sunday, called on the Swiss to go beyond the bilateral agreements and support full EU membership.

However, critics argue that such a move would mean the end of neutrality, which had served the country well for many years. Some critics have also stated that membership would cost too much and that it could lead to a lowering of salaries and standard of living in Switzerland.

Von Däniken said the armed conflict in Kosovo illustrated how closely linked Switzerland was to the rest of Europe and how different the policy of neutrality had to be viewed today.

“Switzerland cannot remain neutral when there are massacres, acts of revenge and ethnic cleansing,” von Däniken argued.

Swiss aid for the Balkans will total about SFr300 million ($200 million) by the end of the year. The state secretary said government aid programmes would be continued and would particularly focus on reconstruction aid and supporting the formation of democratic institutions.


From staff and wire reports.