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Swiss Politics

ICRC says Iraq situation is deteriorating

This content was published on Apr 11, 2007 The Swiss-run organisation said on Wednesday that this was despite security in some places improving as a result of stepped-up efforts by US-led multinational forces. “It is clear that the security situation has improved in certain instances,” said Pierre Krähenbühl, director of operations of the ICRC, who highlighted southern Iraq in particular. However, the overall…

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EU issues dominate Calmy-Rey talks in Poland

This content was published on Apr 11, 2007 The money is part of Bern’s SFr1 billion ($800 million) payment to the ten member states that joined the European Union in May 2004, an amount approved by Swiss voters last November. On Tuesday – the first day of Calmy-Rey’s two-day visit – the foreign minister discussed international and bilateral issues with Polish President Lech…

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Cantons unanimous on keeping EU option open

This content was published on Apr 10, 2007 They also advise caution when negotiating further bilateral accords with the EU – Bern’s preferred way in its relations with Brussels. In a statement published on Tuesday, the 26 cantons – which held a Conference of Cantonal Governments at the end of March – said they were very sceptical about going further down the bilateral…

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Swiss Politics

Parties prepare to dig deep

This content was published on Apr 9, 2007 But while the outlay for their local sections will be even bigger, the amounts injected into the campaign are tiny compared with countries like the United States. The centre-right Radical Party has already budgeted SFr1.3 million for the elections. According to its general-secretary Guido Schommer, the party’s cantonal sections will invest a “multiple” of the…

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Swiss Politics

Leuthard eyes up free trade deal with China

This content was published on Apr 8, 2007 Leuthard told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper she would lead a large business delegation to China in June, and try to give support so that China opened negotiations with Switzerland. China is already in free trade talks with Iceland and will start talks with Norway, Leuthard said. Both countries are members of the four-state European…

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Swiss Politics

Ballot box option attracts Swiss expats

This content was published on Apr 5, 2007 More than 110,000 Swiss living abroad are expected to cast their vote in October’s parliamentary election – the highest number ever. Linder, who is director of Bern University’s political science institute, has explored the possibilities of giving the Swiss abroad a greater say in politics in Switzerland as they could offer a different perspective. The…

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Swiss Politics

European Union embassy opens for business

This content was published on Apr 3, 2007 But the EU’s relationship with Switzerland is overshadowed by a dispute over the Swiss cantonal corporate tax system, which the union says is unfair. “This day has finally arrived,” said the EU’s external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, in Bern on Tuesday. For Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, the opening of a permanent EU office in…

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Swiss Politics

Expatriates push for e-voting

This content was published on Mar 31, 2007 The request was made at the spring meeting of the governing body of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) in Bern on Saturday, which focused on political participation. The council also demanded that eligible voters abroad receive campaign information from all Swiss political parties ahead of the federal elections on October 21. At the…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss urged to stay out of “declining” EU

This content was published on Mar 31, 2007 The best-selling author believes that Europe does not understand the concept of competition and praised Switzerland for “joining the world” instead of becoming an EU member state. The current dispute over the cantonal corporate tax system, which has attracted company headquarters from other European countries, has soured Swiss-EU relations over the past 18 months. Naisbitt,…

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Swiss Politics

UN rights body shackled by slick diplomacy

This content was published on Mar 30, 2007 But speaking to swissinfo as the United Nations watchdog ended its fourth session on Friday, Andrew Clapham, a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, held out hope that progress could be made. Negotiations on how the Geneva-based body will function have now entered the final straight. The 47-strong council, which stems…

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