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Swiss Politics

Alfred Defago: “The US sees war as the last resort”

This content was published on Mar 18, 2003 swissinfo: Is there a valid reason for going to war? I would like to caution against condemning the United States and Great Britain for going ahead because this is a very complicated situation. It shows very clearly that you have two different cultural views on both sides of the Atlantic. The overwhelming majority of Europeans…

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Swiss pull out of Iraq

This content was published on Mar 18, 2003 Switzerland’s last remaining diplomats quit Baghdad on Tuesday to head for neighbouring Jordan. The two liaison officers drove off towards Amman early on Tuesday, accompanied by a Swiss radio journalist. The foreign ministry said that after the planned evacuations on Tuesday and Wednesday, around ten Swiss would probably remain in Iraq. These include two delegates…

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Swiss Politics

Diplomacy driven by economic interests

This content was published on Mar 17, 2003 But analysts say Bern’s cautious diplomatic manoeuvres during the crisis will help it weather the economic storm – regardless of the outcome of the stand-off. Around half of Switzerland’s trade is carried out with member states of the European Union, with the United States its second-largest trading partner. Rudolf Ramsauer, the head of the Swiss…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss help Sri Lanka keep the peace

This content was published on Mar 14, 2003 Bern has been stepping up its efforts to help the Sri Lankan government and the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels strike a peace deal after 19 years of civil war. Despite agreeing to a ceasefire agreement in February 2002, tensions in the region are still running high. Earlier this week the Sri Lankan navy sank a…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss demand peaceful end to Iraq crisis

This content was published on Mar 12, 2003 Jenö Staehelin, the Swiss ambassador to the UN in New York, said weapons inspectors should be given more time to continue their mission. “At this current stage, Switzerland can only support initiatives which aim to grant… inspectors a reasonable amount of time to complete their work,” Staehelin said. His comments came during an open session…

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Swiss Politics

Parliament stalls over Alpine Convention

This content was published on Mar 11, 2003 Tuesday’s postponement is a further blow for supporters, who maintain the convention provides a framework for the protection and sustainable development of the Alps. The Senate said it needed more time to debate the convention’s protocols and has referred them back to its commission. The protocols to the convention, originally signed in 1991, cover a…

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Swiss Politics

US ambassador calls it a day

This content was published on Mar 4, 2003 His unexpected departure has prompted media speculation that he is returning to the US to help in President Bush’s re-election campaign. Reynolds told swissinfo this was not the case. “I have a lot of business obligations and I need to get back home,” he said. But Reynolds admits that he had planned to stay until…

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Swiss disappointed at asylum deal rejection

This content was published on Mar 4, 2003 Senegal’s parliament threw out the agreement on Monday, citing widespread public opposition. The government then followed suit, despite having signed the deal in January. “We are, of course, disappointed but Senegal is a democracy and they have the right to decide what they want,” Jean Daniel Gerber, head of the Federal Office for Refugees, told…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss get to grips with new UN role

This content was published on Mar 4, 2003 For Switzerland’s ambassador to the UN, Jenö Staehelin, it has meant a roller-coaster ride of diplomatic talks. Staehelin says the past few months have been “very busy” for him and his 25 staff since Switzerland took its seat in the UN General Assembly last September. “People are worried,” Staehelin told swissinfo. “They agree with the…

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Swiss Politics

Geneva anti-mine centre comes of age

This content was published on Mar 2, 2003 GICHD now has greater independence to ensure international co-operation in clearing mines. The Swiss foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, signed the historic agreement with Cornelio Sommaruga, the organisation’s president, on Tuesday. GICHD can now forge ahead with promoting global collaboration, as defined by a special mandate it was given two years ago. In 2001, it was…

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