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Swiss Politics

Hopes raised over human-rights council

This content was published on Jun 8, 2005 The council, a permanent body of the UN, would replace the organisation’s discredited Human Rights Commission. “We haven’t reached a consensus yet, but we are progressing,” said Switzerland’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Blaise Godet. Representatives from 60 nations, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, met in Lausanne on Tuesday for…

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Ambassador reflects on Swiss-Turkish relations

This content was published on Jun 8, 2005 The foreign affairs committee of the Turkish Grand National Assembly begins a weeklong visit to Switzerland on Monday. “Swiss-Turkish relations have always been characterised by a good mutual understanding,” Kiliç says with unsurprising diplomacy. “Switzerland plays a very prominent role in Turkish history – the treaty establishing Turkey as a republic was signed in Lausanne…

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Swiss army can go shopping at last

This content was published on Jun 8, 2005 The Senate has approved a new version of the military’s arms procurement programme for 2004, after the army’s original wish list was sent back to the drawing board in March. This had marked the first time in political history that the two houses of parliament had failed to agree on such a package. The military’s…

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Swiss Politics

EU stands firm on bilateral accords

This content was published on Jun 7, 2005 Some Swiss politicians have denied that the agreements – part of two sets of bilateral treaties – are directly related. Officials in Brussels have shown little understanding for the outcry in Switzerland over a statement by the EU foreign-affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner. She said that Switzerland could only participate in the passport-free Schengen zone if…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss unimpressed by EU interference

This content was published on Jun 7, 2005 But Karin Gilland Lutz, a political analyst at Bern University, told swissinfo that the government should not have been surprised by such comments from Brussels. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the Austrian-born EU foreign-affairs commissioner, warned on Monday of the consequences if the Swiss refuse to extend an existing treaty on the free movement of people to include…

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Swiss Politics

EU attaches strings to Schengen accord

This content was published on Jun 6, 2005 The announcement caused irritation among Swiss cabinet ministers and the main political parties. The announcement by the EU foreign-affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, came one day after Swiss voters endorsed a proposal for closer security and asylum cooperation with Brussels. Ferrero-Waldner said the outcome of Sunday’s ballot in Switzerland was a very positive sign. “The Swiss…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss were seduced by “criminal Europe”

This content was published on Jun 6, 2005 In an interview with swissinfo, Georg Kreis said both supporters and opponents of closer ties with the European Union tried to outdo each other with pictures of people in handcuffs. In a nationwide vote on Sunday, 54.6 per cent of the electorate backed the Schengen/Dublin accords governing closer cooperation with the EU on security and…

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Swiss Politics

Press applauds “yes” to Schengen/Dublin

This content was published on Jun 5, 2005 But the media has warned that September’s vote on extending the free movement of people to the ten new EU member states will prove to be a stiffer test of public opinion. “Switzerland has destroyed a frontier,” was the title of the Geneva-based Le Temps. “With a 54.6 per cent yes vote, the government can…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss choose cooperation over isolation

This content was published on Jun 5, 2005 But the real test of Swiss attitudes towards closer ties with Europe will come in September with a vote on extending access to the labour market to the ten new European Union member states. The Swiss president, Samuel Schmid, said Sunday’s result was a public endorsement of the government policy towards the EU. He said…

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Swiss Politics

Gay couples win partnership rights

This content was published on Jun 5, 2005 The new law means gay couples will have the same pension, inheritance and tax rights and obligations. But they will not be allowed to adopt children or have access to fertility treatment. Homosexual organisations were very satisfied by the result, considering it a symbolic recognition of their status. “It’s a magnificent victory,” said Jean-Paul Guisan…

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