Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Foreign Minister Deiss pays official visit to South Africa

This content was published on Oct 11, 1999 After a first stop in Tanzania, Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss is continuing his African tour with a visit to South Africa, where Switzerland has actively supported post-apartheid democratic reforms. Deiss is expected to meet high-ranking government ministers on Tuesday and is scheduled to co-chair a Swiss-South African working group on conflict prevention in Johannesburg.…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland signs cooperation accord with Tanzania

This content was published on Oct 11, 1999 Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss on Monday signed a multi-million Swiss franc cooperation accord with Tanzania, one of Switzerland’s focus countries for cooperation and development projects in Africa. Even though Switzerland has provided financial support for Tanzania and worked in joint development project there for years, it is the first time that a Swiss cabinet…

Swiss Politics

Swiss parliament ratifies bilateral accords with EU

This content was published on Oct 8, 1999 After years of tough negotiations with the European Union and months of domestic parliamentary debate, Switzerland formally ratified its bilateral accords with the EU on Friday. The accords will bring Switzerland the closest yet to the European body once the 15 member states also have completed ratification. The Swiss-EU accords cover economic and technical cooperation,…

Swiss Politics

Last pre-election poll predicts major gains for conservative People’s Party

This content was published on Oct 8, 1999 The Swiss general election on October 24 could cause a political tremor, according to a new opinion poll. With just two weeks to go, the conservative People’s Party appears to be making significant gains. The four-party system of government, which has helped ensure political stability in Switzerland for the past 40 years, may be in…

Swiss Politics

Conservative Swiss party wants ratification of Swiss-EU accords

This content was published on Oct 7, 1999 The People’s Party, one of the four parties represented in the Swiss government, on Thursday came out in support of Switzerland’s bilateral accords with the European Union and said there should be no referendum on the issue. The party’s parliamentary committee, which is a key policy-making body,said the party should fully support the accords in…

Swiss Politics

National exhibition organisers pledge to plough ahead

This content was published on Oct 6, 1999 Three prominent leaders of Switzerland’s troubled national exhibition said they would plough on and try to implement the government’s “draconian” reforms, which are aimed at saving the crisis-ridden project. Announcing their decision at a nationally televised news conference Wednesday, management board members Francis Matthey, Nelly Wenger (left) and Martin Heller (right) said it would be…

Swiss Politics

Senate ducks controversial religious issue

This content was published on Oct 5, 1999

Swiss Politics

More asylum seekers leave Switzerland than enter country

This content was published on Oct 5, 1999 The Swiss authorities said Tuesday that, for the first time in years, more asylum seekers have left Switzerland than entered the country. The Federal Refugee Office said the figures for the month of September were mainly due to a federal repatriation programme, which grants financial and material support for those Kosovar refugees who decide to…

Swiss Politics

Swiss government to come clean on troubled Expo.01

This content was published on Oct 4, 1999 After months of negative media headlines, resignations and dwindling public confidence, the Swiss government is expected to pass its verdict on the troubled national exhibition, known as Expo.01, later Monday. Politicians, Swiss industry and many ordinary people are wondering whether the government will call for Expo.01 to go ahead as planned and open in 2001,…

Swiss Politics

New asylum legislation comes into force

This content was published on Oct 1, 1999 Switzerland’s new asylum laws have now come into force: Refugees fleeing wars and armed conflicts can enter the country without having to go through the whole asylum seeker process but must leave if the situation back home has normalised. Parallel to the new laws, several regulations also took effect Friday. Among them are a slight…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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