Wendy Sherman (left) and Livia Leu in Bern on Friday
Keystone / Anthony Anex
Scientific and economic cooperation and Switzerland’s good offices were at the centre of the first strategic partnership dialogue between Switzerland and the United States. Current events, particularly in Afghanistan, were also discussed.
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The talks in Bern on Friday between Secretary of State Livia Leu and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman focused on cooperation in the areas of cyber security, digitalisation, the fight against corruption and climate change, the foreign ministry said in a statementExternal link.
Sanctions policy and strengthening cooperation in human rights work were also discussed.
Leu and Sherman underlined “the excellent relations that the two countries maintain” and identified ways of deepening them, the foreign ministry said. Another topic was Switzerland’s protecting power mandate in Iran on behalf of the United States.
Dialogue on the strategic partnership will continue on an annual basis, according to Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis. Switzerland and the United States, the Alpine nation’s main trading partner outside Europe, are thus consolidating “an intense and diversified bilateral dialogue at a high level”.
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