Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Switzerland ready to begin new bilateral negotiations with EU

This content was published on Jun 27, 2001 The cabinet announcement follows Monday’s decision by the EU General Council to approve in principle negotiations on 10 designated issues. At the same time the Council instructed the European Commission to prepare mandates for opening talks with Switzerland on all the issues. The government said the EU decision was a green light to both parties.…

Swiss Politics

Swiss organise refugee march in gesture of solidarity

This content was published on Jun 22, 2001 The project, called “escapeto.ch”, was organised by the Swiss Refugee Council to give participants an insight into what it is like to flee one’s home country and seek asylum in another. Julien Jaeckle, project manager of escapeto.ch, told swissinfo that the refugees invited to take part had jumped at the opportunity. “We had no problem…

Swiss Politics

Senate votes for Swiss membership of UN

This content was published on Jun 21, 2001 The proposal to seek full UN membership was passed by the Senate with 37 against two votes from members of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party. During the wide-ranging debate, most speakers said Swiss membership of the UN was overdue and would not infringe Swiss neutrality and sovereignty. Beside the Vatican, Switzerland is the only state…

Swiss Politics

Parliament pushes for offensive against chemical weapons

This content was published on Jun 19, 2001 The House followed the Senate in approving government plans for greater Swiss involvement in implementing the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. The proposal envisages making up to SFr50 million ($28 million) available over the next six to eight years to assist in the eradication of such weapons. Senators said Russia, in particular, would need help in…

Swiss Politics

Algeria seeks Swiss investment

This content was published on Jun 18, 2001 The delegation, headed by the president of Algeria’s National Assembly, Abdelhamid Si Afif, aims to build confidence in the country’s economy, which has been deteriorating since the insurgents began their campaign of terror in 1992. The Swiss ambassador to the North African state, André von Graffenreid, said: “This visit is an occasion to strengthen democracy…

Swiss Politics

“Respect” the watchword for refugee day

This content was published on Jun 16, 2001 To mark the anniversary, the Swiss Refugee Council chose a very unusual venue for refugee day: Zurich main station. The lofty passenger hall was decorated with balloons and banners reminding people that the key word for refugee day 2001 was “respect”. Around the hall there were also dozens of television screens, showing harrowing pictures of…

Swiss Politics

Olympic Committee officials receive threats ahead of 2008 vote

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 The Chinese capital is the current favourite to win the vote, which takes place in Moscow on July 13. But Beijing’s bid is strongly opposed by some human rights groups. IOC director general Francois Carrard said the threatening letters were allegedly sent by a “faction of the Tibetan Youth Congress”. The Congress is an organisation…

Swiss Politics

Swiss lead efforts to improve lot of migrants

This content was published on Jun 15, 2001 A two-day conference is underway in Bern, aimed at defining common ground between countries on the issue of migration. The meeting has attracted over 60 delegates from 30 different nations. One of the main problems regarding migration is that there are no international principles or conventions for dealing with the phenomenon. Migrants are therefore often…

Swiss Politics

Swiss spend SFr1.5 billion on development aid

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 In GNP terms, Swiss development aid in 2000 fell slightly compared to the previous year, from 0.35 per cent to 0.34. This compares favourably to the US, which contributed only 0.1 per cent of its GNP to the developing world. However, figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) show that Switzerland lags behind…

Swiss Politics

Metzler rules out political solution to immigrant occupation of church

This content was published on Jun 11, 2001 Two separate groups of immigrants have been occupying St. Paul’s Church in Fribourg and the Bellevaux church in Lausanne for more than a week in a bid to win the right to remain in Switzerland. The groups include immigrants from Africa, South America, the Balkans and the European Union. In an address to the House…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Switzerland ready to begin new bilateral negotiations with EU

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Swiss organise refugee march in gesture of solidarity

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Senate votes for Swiss membership of UN

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Parliament pushes for offensive against chemical weapons

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Algeria seeks Swiss investment

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“Respect” the watchword for refugee day

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Olympic Committee officials receive threats ahead of 2008 vote

More

Swiss lead efforts to improve lot of migrants

More

Swiss spend SFr1.5 billion on development aid

More

Metzler rules out political solution to immigrant occupation of church

Popular Stories

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