Swiss Politics

Defence minister completes Asian tour of duty

This content was published on Mar 4, 2006 His Asian visit allowed him to broach strategic cooperation with the Chinese as well as delve into the difficult relationship between North and South Korea. Schmid’s three days on the Korean peninsula were mainly spent learning more about the fragile ties between the North and the South, according to the Swiss ambassador in Seoul, Christian…

Swiss Politics

Swiss hold out hope for UN human rights body

This content was published on Mar 3, 2006 Her comments on Friday in Geneva follow Washington’s announcement earlier this week that it would vote against the latest draft for the body, claiming it is seriously flawed. Calmy-Rey, who admitted in a speech on Thursday that the US and Switzerland did not see eye-to-eye on human rights, reiterated that the proposed council was the…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey repeats call for stronger US ties

This content was published on Mar 2, 2006 Calmy-Rey said though that there remained a number of issues on which Switzerland and Washington did not see eye-to-eye, in particular human rights. The foreign minister, in a speech delivered to the Swiss Friends of the USA association in Zurich on Thursday, admitted that a mooted free trade agreement between the two countries was no…

Swiss Politics

Asylum seekers face longer stays in transit

This content was published on Mar 1, 2006 Voters are likely to have the final say later this year on tightening the asylum laws. Under the plan adopted by the government on Wednesday, asylum seekers can now be held in the five registration and transit centres at the country’s borders for up to 60 days, instead of 30 days, before being transferred to…

Swiss Politics

Schmid seeks increased dialogue with Beijing

This content was published on Feb 28, 2006 He made the statement at the end of a three-day visit to Beijing where he held talks with President Hu Jintao and the Chinese defence minister, Cao Gangchuan. Tuesday’s meeting with Hu had not been expected. Media reports said the Chinese president used the opportunity to attack a decision by Taiwan, announced on Monday, to…

Swiss Politics

Swiss undeterred by splits over UN rights body

This content was published on Feb 28, 2006 The US has stated it will vote against the latest blueprint for the Human Rights Council unless negotiations are reopened to address what it considers serious deficiencies. On Monday John Bolton, US ambassador to the UN, described the draft resolution unveiled last Thursday as unacceptable. He wants tougher mechanisms for keeping countries with poor human…

Swiss Politics

Iraqi visitors given insight into federalism

This content was published on Feb 28, 2006 The group of judges, parliamentarians and other representatives of civil society are spending a week in Switzerland, organised by the Swiss foreign ministry and the Institute of Federalism at Fribourg University. The 23 visitors from Iraq received an insight into Switzerland’s political system, Thomas Greminger of the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. He said the…

Swiss Politics

Bern and Brussels sign Cohesion Fund deal

This content was published on Feb 27, 2006 The document sets out how Bern will finance projects to the tune of SFr1 billion ($760 million) over five years as part of the so-called Cohesion Fund. Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey signed the memorandum on Monday with her Austrian counterpart, Ursula Plassnik, and the EU’s commissioner for external affairs, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. A statement from…

Swiss Politics

Swiss to host second round of Sri Lanka talks

This content was published on Feb 24, 2006 Both sides also pledged to respect a fragile four-year-old ceasefire and to take “all necessary measures” to stop acts of violence, abductions and killings. Swiss diplomats who hosted the talks welcomed the positive outcome, which was announced late on Thursday at a secluded chateau outside Geneva. “We welcome especially the agreement found on ways of…

Swiss Politics

Azerbaijan visit addresses Karabakh conflict

This content was published on Feb 23, 2006 The Azerbaijani government responded on Friday by inviting Calmy-Rey to visit a refugee camp for displaced persons from the territory. The camp near Baku houses 270 people driven out of the mainly ethnic Armenian territory within Azerbaijan. “It is hard to see people living in such conditions,” Calmy-Rey said. “And it is even harder to…

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Defence minister completes Asian tour of duty

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Swiss hold out hope for UN human rights body

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Calmy-Rey repeats call for stronger US ties

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Asylum seekers face longer stays in transit

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Schmid seeks increased dialogue with Beijing

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Swiss undeterred by splits over UN rights body

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Iraqi visitors given insight into federalism

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Bern and Brussels sign Cohesion Fund deal

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Swiss to host second round of Sri Lanka talks

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Azerbaijan visit addresses Karabakh conflict

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