Swiss Politics

Tensions with Libya ease but talks continue

This content was published on Jul 30, 2008 On Tuesday two Swiss citizens jailed for alleged immigration violations were released on bail. But no Swiss nationals are allowed to leave Libya. Foreign ministry spokesman Jean-Philippe Jeannerat said moves were underway to restore normal relations between the two countries. Tensions began when one of the sons of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi was temporarily arrested…

Swiss Politics

Swiss press berate WTO failure

This content was published on Jul 30, 2008 Headlines ranged from “Everyone loses, no one wins” to “Fiasco” and “Infernal machine”. The Geneva newspaper Le Temps described the failure of the Doha Round under the auspices of the World Trade Organization as a “tragedy”. “In the short term, this failure will give comfort to those who felt themselves the most threatened, with the…

Swiss Politics

Olympics body to examine censorship claims

This content was published on Jul 29, 2008 Amnesty International has condemned China’s human rights record and censorship of the media in the run up to the Games. A report, published by Amnesty on Tuesday, found that human rights have continued to deteriorate in the country instead of improving, as promised by the Olympics hosts. However, the Chinese foreign ministry rejected the claims,…

Swiss Politics

Swiss law expert named to UN rights committee

This content was published on Jul 29, 2008 The Swiss foreign ministry said it was pleased that Keller was named to succeed Walter Kälin who stepped down in April. Keller, who teaches European and international law at Zurich University, has a mandate until the end of 2010. The Human Rights Committee consists of 18 independent experts and oversees the implementation of the International…

Swiss Politics

Bern wants UN to coordinate better on terrorism

This content was published on Jul 29, 2008 The Swiss ambassador to the UN, Peter Maurer, and representatives of Costa Rica, Japan, Slovakia and Turkey have put forward proposals about how the global strategy against terrorism agreed in the General Assembly in 2006 can be better coordinated. “The fight against terror on its own is not enough. It needs possible solutions how we…

Swiss Politics

Young Tibetan protestors get media savvy

This content was published on Jul 28, 2008 The image of Pema Dolkar, who in March covered her face in ketchup and threw herself in front of a runner holding the Olympic torch in Athens, yelling “Stop Killing Tibet!”, was broadcast around the world. The sight of the hysterically angry Yangzom Brauen being dragged away by police in Moscow in 2001 when China…

Swiss Politics

Swiss-US tensions to stay in post-Bush era

This content was published on Jul 28, 2008 In the run up to the US presidential elections in November, nothing seems to suggest that these differences will be resolved by Bush’s successor, experts say. At the heart of the Bush administration, in Congress or in think tanks which often develop American foreign policy, the general feeling is that relations between the US and…

Swiss Politics

Leuthard and farmers clash over WTO talks

This content was published on Jul 27, 2008 The Swiss Farmers’ Association on the other hand seriously disagrees, speaking of “disastrous consequences” for its members. On Sunday Leuthard described Friday’s proposal as “a delicate basis on which one can build”. She admitted that Swiss agriculture would have to pay “a high price”, but she assured farmers that they would not be abandoned. The…

Swiss Politics

Poll says Schmid is weak but shouldn’t go

This content was published on Jul 27, 2008 Following a week in which the head of Switzerland’s armed forces, Roland Nef, handed in his resignation following allegations of sexual harassment, 65 per cent of respondents thought Schmid had not dealt with the situation decisively. Schmid had previously conceded it was wrong not to tell the other cabinet ministers of a criminal investigation pending…

Swiss Politics

Karadzic arrest seen as a step towards justice

This content was published on Jul 26, 2008 For the people who suffered under his regime, his arrest has far greater significance. The Serb government, secret service and police said he had gone into hiding and was untraceable, while Karadzic lived and worked unrecognised by the general public. Survivors, western governments and Balkan experts labelled Karadzic a mass murderer, responsible for the deaths…

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Tensions with Libya ease but talks continue

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Swiss press berate WTO failure

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Olympics body to examine censorship claims

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Swiss law expert named to UN rights committee

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Bern wants UN to coordinate better on terrorism

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Young Tibetan protestors get media savvy

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Swiss-US tensions to stay in post-Bush era

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Leuthard and farmers clash over WTO talks

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Poll says Schmid is weak but shouldn’t go

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Karadzic arrest seen as a step towards justice

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