The government says the Asia-Europe Meeting group (ASEM) has paved the way for Switzerland’s membership to the cooperation and dialogue platform.
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The Swiss candidacy – handed in 12 months ago alongside that of Norway – was approved at a meeting in Copenhagen last week.
Membership in the forum is in line with a strategic aim of Swiss foreign policy and is aimed at diversifying international partnerships, according to a foreign ministry statement.
Switzerland will be formally admitted to the group at a summit in Cambodia in November.
Founded in 1996, the forum brings together heads of state and governments from Asia, including China, Japan and India, as well as the European Union.
Both Switzerland and Norway are not members of the EU, but they will be integrated into the European group.
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