Swiss Abroad

EU gets tough on asylum seekers

This content was published on Oct 28, 2002 In response to popular fears of mass immigration, they have chosen to toughen asylum laws. Until the Amsterdam Treaty entered into force in 1999, it was up to member states to form and enforce their own asylum laws. At the Tampere summit in October of the same year, the 15 countries agreed that a common…

Swiss Politics

Swiss asylum policy faces tough times

This content was published on Oct 27, 2002 Parts of the population are concerned Switzerland is being flooded by asylum seekers, while academics fear xenophobia is rearing its ugly head. According to a recent poll by the GfS institute, 57 per cent of the electorate said they would vote in favour of a people’s initiative launched by the Swiss People’s Party against abuses…

Swiss Politics

Swiss doctors to treat Russian hostages

This content was published on Oct 25, 2002 The Swiss foreign ministry said Russia had requested the doctors and that two – including a psychiatrist – would leave for Moscow on Friday. Foreign ministry spokesman, Manuel Sager, told swissinfo that the Russian authorities as well as other foreign diplomats had specifically asked Switzerland to send personnel. The doctors will join several Swiss already…

Swiss Politics

Germany rejects Swiss appeal on aviation deal

This content was published on Oct 24, 2002 The ruling means that weekend flights over southern Germany will now be prohibited between 2000 and 0900. Swiss and the airport were trying to overturn a bilateral aviation deal, still to be ratified, between Switzerland and Germany, which imposes tough restrictions on flights over German airspace. The administrative court in Baden-Württemberg, a German state that…

Swiss Politics

Lessons from the Gotthard tragedy

This content was published on Oct 23, 2002 A staggered entry system for trucks and independently controllable air vents are among the main improvements. Escape procedures have also been made clearer as part of a safety overhaul costing some SFr36 million ($24.3 million) to date. “A good solution” “We wouldn’t like to say that the Gotthard is the safest tunnel in the world,…

Swiss Politics

Swiss renew efforts to make Kyoto a reality

This content was published on Oct 23, 2002 Talks among representatives from the 185 member states of the United Nations Climate Change Convention kick off on Wednesday. Delegates are hoping to establish a coherent political framework for tackling climate change, despite the United States’ opposition to Kyoto. A recent spate of natural disasters – from droughts in India to severe flooding across Europe…

Swiss Politics

Swiss favour tougher line on asylum seekers

This content was published on Oct 22, 2002 The government has urged voters to reject a right-wing proposal, which would limit asylum applications and cut benefits to those whose requests have been rejected. A quarter of the 1,283 people polled said they would reject the proposal by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, with 19 per cent saying they had no opinion on the…

Swiss Politics

Rightwing comes out on top

This content was published on Oct 19, 2002 The survey showed that the People’s Party would gain 25 per cent of votes cast, making it the largest party outright for the first time. At the last election in 1999, the party won 22.5 per cent of the vote, the same as the centre-left Social Democratic Party. However, there is little support for giving…

Swiss speak out on Iraq question

This content was published on Oct 17, 2002 Staehelin was addressing the UN highest decision-making body on Thursday during a two-day open debate by non-aligned nations on Iraq. The ambassador said that Switzerland, a member of the UN since September, would support a two-phase approach to the Iraq question. He said that UN weapons inspectors should first be allowed into Iraq to report…

Swiss Politics

Swiss observe key Montenegro vote

This content was published on Oct 17, 2002 Two Swiss observers who have been monitoring the run-up to the vote for the past three weeks say the two sides have so far been playing by the rules. Opinion polls predict a close race between pro-independence President Milo Djukanovic and his rival Vesna Perovic, who wants to maintain strong links with Serbia, the bigger…

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Swiss Abroad

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EU gets tough on asylum seekers

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Swiss asylum policy faces tough times

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Swiss doctors to treat Russian hostages

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Germany rejects Swiss appeal on aviation deal

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Lessons from the Gotthard tragedy

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Swiss renew efforts to make Kyoto a reality

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Swiss favour tougher line on asylum seekers

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Rightwing comes out on top

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Swiss speak out on Iraq question

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Swiss observe key Montenegro vote

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