Swiss Politics

Parliament puts brakes on UN ambitions

This content was published on Oct 5, 2007 Members of the House of Representatives warned that following this path would deal a fatal blow to the country’s neutrality and that it was too soon to even contemplate such a move. The criticism was levelled against Calmy-Rey’s plan in Bern on Friday, during the final day of the last parliamentary session before the elections…

Swiss Politics

Swiss agree to dialogue with EU over tax row

This content was published on Oct 3, 2007 Both sides said on Tuesday that they would resume talking next month, and downplayed the spat. They also announced that negotiations would start in November on linking up their electricity power grids to secure supplies. “We have differences on the tax issue, but we agree to keep on speaking together, and that dialogue will reach…

Swiss Politics

Money and Elections

This content was published on Oct 3, 2007 This fall Swiss voters are getting ready for their four-year round of choices for members of parliament. The two systems are also quite different in other respects: proportional versus majority voting, which makes for more parties and more candidates in Switzerland, thus deemphasizing personal charisma in the appeal to voters. Also, war and health insurance…

Myanmar in dock at UN rights body

This content was published on Oct 2, 2007 Blaise Godet was addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which on Tuesday condemned Myanmar’s “violent repression” of protests and called on the junta to allow its investigator to visit for the first time in four years. The 47-nation UN human rights watchdog was holding a special session on the troubled southeast Asian country…

Swiss Politics

Brussels’ man in Bern takes stock

This content was published on Sep 30, 2007 The Austrian, whose official title is European Commission head of delegation to Switzerland, says he misses a fundamental debate on Swiss-European Union relations. He is also following upcoming elections with interest. swissinfo: How would you describe your first few months in your new position? Michael Reiterer: I was amazed by the huge interest in me…

Swiss Politics

Human Rights Council president wants reform

This content was published on Sep 29, 2007 Doru Costea’s comments came as the Council’s sixth session ended on Friday, against the backdrop of clashes in Myanmar. The Council has planned a special session on Tuesday to discuss the situation in the Southeast Asian nation. Costea told the Swiss Le Temps newspaper that changes were necessary following the Council’s failure in the Middle…

Swiss Politics

Funding free-for-all favours rightwing

This content was published on Sep 28, 2007 In an interview with swissinfo, Geneva University professor Pascal Sciarini says anonymous donors are bankrolling an increasingly American-style campaign marked by unprecedented media coverage. Sciarini says party policies have taken a back seat during the run-up to next month’s parliamentary elections as personalities and negative campaigning have dominated the electoral landscape. First came the People’s…

Swiss Politics

Expert says China holds key to Myanmar crisis

This content was published on Sep 28, 2007 For its part, the Swiss foreign ministry has advised its citizens against travelling to the southeast Asian country, where troops and riot police are battling to put an end to ten consecutive days of protests. The crackdown has led to international condemnation of the military regime and further demonstrations are planned at embassies across southeast…

Swiss Politics

Soldiers can keep guns at home but not ammo

This content was published on Sep 27, 2007 With the exception of a few thousand of the 120,000 soldiers in Switzerland’s militia army who keep their cartridges at home, all army ammunition will have to be stored in central arsenals. Army guns can still be kept at home. The House of Representatives on Thursday followed the Senate in backing a motion that will…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey calls for a “more coherent” UN

This content was published on Sep 26, 2007 Speaking at the opening of the UN’s 62nd General Assembly in New York, she described the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Myanmar as “alarming” and urged all sides to engage in dialogue to resolve the situation. “The international community has approved a great many development objectives in recent decades,” Calmy-Rey told world leaders on Wednesday.…

Swiss Politics

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Swiss Politics

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Parliament puts brakes on UN ambitions

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Swiss agree to dialogue with EU over tax row

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Money and Elections

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Myanmar in dock at UN rights body

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Brussels’ man in Bern takes stock

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Human Rights Council president wants reform

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Funding free-for-all favours rightwing

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Expert says China holds key to Myanmar crisis

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Soldiers can keep guns at home but not ammo

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Calmy-Rey calls for a “more coherent” UN

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