Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Military vote seen as test for UN membership decision

This content was published on Jun 8, 2001 Observers have said that a “no” vote in Sunday’s referendum could set back the chances of Switzerland joining the United Nations – an issue due to come to the vote next year. Although the Swiss government’s policy goals include membership of the UN and European Union, Swiss voters have traditionally shown little enthusiasm for joining…

Swiss Politics

Deiss wins Belgian backing for closer Swiss-EU ties

This content was published on Jun 7, 2001 During his one-day trip to Brussels on Thursday, Deiss also extracted a commitment from Michel that Belgium would ratify by November a package of bilateral accords agreed between Switzerland and the EU in 1999. Belgium is one of six EU member states that have yet to ratify a treaty on the free movement of people,…

Swiss Politics

Immigrants occupy church in bid to secure residency

This content was published on Jun 6, 2001 The 100-strong collective includes immigrants from Africa, South America, the Balkans and the European Union. Fribourg’s justice director, Claude Grandjean, and a police official visited the immigrants on Tuesday evening and said the authorities would not take steps to evict them. Grandjean said that because the sit-in was taking place with the consent of the…

Swiss Politics

Swiss diplomat shot in Ethiopia arrives back in Switzerland

This content was published on Jun 2, 2001 The Federal Office for Foreign Affairs confirmed she was in a stable condition and had been transfered to a Swiss hospital. Siegrist was shot twice in the head by Belay Kabede, a maintenance worker whose contract with the Swiss embassy in the capital, Addis Abeba, was terminated four months before it was due to expire…

Swiss Politics

Refugee officials organise art exhibition

This content was published on Jun 1, 2001 It features sculptures by Swiss artist Schang Hutter which evoke such themes as war, violence and the distress faced by people forced to flee to another country. One is entitled “Scene on the Field of Battle” and another is “Monument to the Silent Majority”. The exhibition has been timed to mark the 50th anniversary of…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland awaits signal from EU on further treaties

This content was published on Jun 1, 2001 Speaking after a meeting in Bern between EU and Swiss officials, Ambühl said the EU wanted to press ahead with negotiations on certain key issues, while Switzerland preferred to wait to discuss a fuller range of topics. The head of the Swiss integration office said the EU delegation, led by Percy Westerlund, wanted to begin…

Swiss Politics

Red Cross worker murdered in Cameroon

This content was published on May 28, 2001 Catherine Duclaux, 37, a French national, was rushed to hospital following the attack, which occurred in the capital Yaounde, but doctors were unable to save her. Duclaux is the eighth Red Cross worker to have died in Africa in the past five weeks. “Catherine Duclaux had to go to the pharmacy late Sunday to get…

Swiss Politics

Refugee Office moots loosening of asylum policy

This content was published on May 28, 2001 Under the new proposal, asylum seekers will be entitled to refugee status if they face any sort of persecution at home. At present, applicants can only seek asylum on the grounds of persecution if the persecution is perpetrated by their government or state bodies. In an interview with the German-language “Tages Anzeiger” newspaper, the head…

Swiss Politics

Swiss call for open borders

This content was published on May 24, 2001 The Swiss justice minister, Ruth Metzler, told the European commissioner for judicial affairs, Antonio Vitorino, at their first meeting in Brussels that Switzerland wanted a clear statement of intent from the EU. Metzler made it clear Switzerland was prepared to accept all the terms of the Schengen accord, which abolishes border controls between its members.…

Lausanne Sports Forum tackles contentious issues

This content was published on May 23, 2001 The Forum is seen as a place where decision-makers and opinion-formers from various fields connected with sport can come together to address some of the most contentious issues facing sport today. This year’s meeting is the third of it’s kind since the first forum in 1998. “The calibre of the forum can be seen by…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Military vote seen as test for UN membership decision

More

Deiss wins Belgian backing for closer Swiss-EU ties

More

Immigrants occupy church in bid to secure residency

More

Swiss diplomat shot in Ethiopia arrives back in Switzerland

More

Refugee officials organise art exhibition

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Switzerland awaits signal from EU on further treaties

More

Red Cross worker murdered in Cameroon

More

Refugee Office moots loosening of asylum policy

More

Swiss call for open borders

More

Lausanne Sports Forum tackles contentious issues

Popular Stories

Most Discussed