Swiss Politics

switzerland’s federalism laboratory

This content was published on Jul 11, 2006 Fribourg University’s Federalism Institute is leading the charge, inviting researchers from around the world and providing experts for conflict regions. For Thomas Fleiner, head of the institute, it’s not about exporting Swiss federalism. In fact he hates the idea. “Our job is to stimulate research that will lead to solutions adapted to situations very different…

Swiss Politics

geneva – capital of the globalised world

This content was published on Jul 11, 2006 Switzerland and its diplomatic service have benefited considerably from Geneva’s international stature, which has grown since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Geneva has long been host to the European headquarters of the United Nations and many other specialised UN agencies, but contrary to what many believe, it is not the Swiss capital. “Everyone thinks…

Swiss Politics

swiss diplomacy awakens from its slumber

This content was published on Jul 11, 2006 After finally joining the United Nations in 2002, the country has successfully turned the focus of its diplomatic efforts to multilateralism. For over a century, Swiss diplomacy was defined by good offices – managing diplomatic relations between countries. Since 1864, and the founding of the Red Cross, Geneva has hosted many international conferences. Negotiations over…

Swiss Politics

spiez scientists work for peace

This content was published on Jul 11, 2006 On behalf of international organisations, it trains experts and sends specialists to war zones or polluted sites from Siberia to Iraq. Since ancient times man has used poison on the battlefield. But it was during the First World War that it became a weapon of mass destruction. A ban laid down by the 1899 Hague…

Swiss Politics

development aid begins at the grassroots

This content was published on Jul 11, 2006 However, without substantial means at its disposal, assistance is about quality not quantity. Just like the Chinese proverb, instead of giving a man a fish, Swiss aid teaches him to fish or better still to perfect his own fishing methods. Development aid boomed after the Second World War when the task of helping the poverty-stricken…

Swiss Politics

Brussels and Bern hold taxing talks

This content was published on Jul 10, 2006 After talks on Monday in Brussels, Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger and the head of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, could only agree to keep the door open for further discussion. The EU Commission has been very critical of some Swiss cantons, which have convinced many foreign firms to move their headquarters there by granting…

Swiss Politics

Discarded children

This content was published on Jul 9, 2006 Until the 1950s it was a common practice for poor Swiss families to give or sell their children to farmers. Many of these so-called “Verdingkinder” or “discarded children” suffered slave labour, beatings and abuse. A project by the national research foundation has been working against time to record as many of their stories as possible.…

Cancer specialist takes on international role

This content was published on Jul 9, 2006 This is just the latest challenge for the head of the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, whose professional life has been divided between medical care and politics. Cavalli has always been a creative force to be reckoned with. At age 36, he began developing an oncology programme in canton Ticino, at a time when the…

Swiss Politics

Negotiation key to Iranian crisis say Swiss

This content was published on Jul 8, 2006 Calmy-Rey repeated the offer during talks on Saturday in Bern with Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, who has been meeting European leaders over the past few days. “Switzerland favours a negotiated solution to the nuclear dossier and is willing, if requested, to provide its support compatible with its means,” said the foreign ministry in…

Swiss Politics

EU disappointed by Swiss report on Europe

This content was published on Jul 6, 2006 Diana Wallis, who is president of the parliament’s delegation for relations with Switzerland, said the “Europe 2006” report published on Wednesday last week in Bern did not look into the future. The document said that Switzerland would continue its policy of consolidating bilateral ties with the EU, while the country’s 14-year-old membership application would remain…

Swiss Politics

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Swiss Politics

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switzerland’s federalism laboratory

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geneva – capital of the globalised world

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swiss diplomacy awakens from its slumber

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spiez scientists work for peace

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development aid begins at the grassroots

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Brussels and Bern hold taxing talks

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Discarded children

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Cancer specialist takes on international role

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Negotiation key to Iranian crisis say Swiss

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EU disappointed by Swiss report on Europe

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