Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Peace builder welcomes Sri Lankan talks

This content was published on Feb 22, 2006 The Swiss-hosted meeting, which starts on Wednesday, will be attended by delegations from the Sri Lankan government and from the rebel Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). These are the first talks between the two sides for three years. They will take place on the anniversary of the Norwegian-brokered ceasefire, which was negotiated four years…

Swiss Politics

Sri Lanka peace talks open in Switzerland

This content was published on Feb 21, 2006 The meeting, organised by Norway, is the first between the two sides for nearly three years, and takes place amid escalating violence in Sri Lanka. Discussions are expected to focus on the implementation and the strengthening of a ceasefire agreement, brokered by Norway in 2002. There were some positive signs ahead of the talks including…

Swiss Politics

Kosovo talks meet with mixed reactions

This content was published on Feb 20, 2006 The United Nations-mediated meeting in Austria between Serbian and ethnic Albanian officials is expected to discuss more rights for Serbs and other minorities. “It will be the first contact between parties,” said Thomas Fleiner, a Swiss legal expert who is advising the Serbian government’s team and who will be taking part in the discussions. The…

Swiss Politics

German-Swiss talks centre on flight paths

This content was published on Feb 16, 2006 But there was no breakthrough on Thursday over flight paths into Switzerland’s largest airport and the resulting noise pollution, which have poisoned bilateral relations. In March 2003 the Swiss parliament rejected an accord with Germany, which sought to limit the number of flights permitted to use airspace over southern Germany before landing in Zurich. In…

Swiss Politics

Swiss unions join services protest

This content was published on Feb 14, 2006 Around 40,000 protestors from around Europe showed up in France as the EU discussed the Services Directive that aims to liberalise areas such as construction, restaurants and consulting. The European parliament is debating the proposals, also known as the Bolkestein Directive after internal market commissioner Frits Bolkestein, for the first time on Tuesday. The aim…

Swiss Politics

Russia and Switzerland finding common ground

This content was published on Feb 14, 2006 From land of opportunity for emigrants to empire of evil, the Russian empire and later the Soviet Union always had the attraction of being a big market for Swiss businesses. Up to 1918, some 60,000 Swiss people sought their fortune in Russia, often successfully. But with the Bolshevik revolution things changed completely and the Soviet…

Swiss Politics

Year to celebrate Swiss-Russian links

This content was published on Feb 14, 2006 These include the opening of the first official Swiss mission in St Petersburg 190 years ago and the 100th anniversary of the Swiss diplomatic presence in Russia. The year will offer exhibitions, concerts and concerts celebrating the two countries’ relationship over the past two hundred years, as well as looking forward to the future. “The…

Swiss Politics

Swiss hoist their flag at Turin Olympics

This content was published on Feb 9, 2006 Schmid took part in Thursday’s welcome ceremony of the Swiss delegation in the Olympic village in Turin, Italy. At the ceremony the Swiss flag was hoisted and he wished the 130 members of the Swiss team the best of luck for the competitions over the next two weeks. He thanked the mayor of the Olympic…

Swiss Politics

More than 100,000 expats vote

This content was published on Feb 9, 2006 The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) says that while it is satisfied with this politically significant figure, it will continue to encourage people to exercise their rights. “We are very satisfied because we have been encouraging people to register for some time now,” OSA spokesman Marc Demierre told swissinfo. The symbolic 100,000 mark was…

Swiss Politics

Geneva looks to cement international status

This content was published on Feb 7, 2006 The pledge of support comes as preparations to welcome a new United Nations human rights body to the western Swiss city gather pace. Senior Swiss diplomats told a news conference on Tuesday that Geneva faced increasing competition from cities around the world eager to attract international organisations. Geneva is home to a host of world…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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