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Swiss Politics

Swiss less Euro-phobic than EU vote suggests

This content was published on Apr 20, 2001 The survey found that only 26 per cent of the people who voted against an immediate start to negotiations were opposed outright to EU membership. In the vote on March 4, just under 77 per cent of Swiss voters rejected a proposal, put forward by centre-left groups, which called for immediate talks on joining the…

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Lausanne’s WADA bid still alive, despite EU snub

This content was published on Apr 19, 2001 A European Commission spokesman confirmed to swissinfo that directors of sport from the 15 EU member states had agreed during a meeting in Stockholm that locating WADA in Lausanne would harm the fledgling organisation’s credibility. However, far from being downhearted, those backing the Lausanne bid will be encouraged by the meeting in Stockholm. The spokesman…

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Front-runner emerges in race to lead Christian Democrats

This content was published on Apr 17, 2001 The head of the party’s working group, Peter Hess, announced that it was backing Stähelin, 57, at a press conference in Bern on Tuesday. Durrer’s successor is due to be formally chosen at a party meeting on May 12. Hess also named a candidate to succeed one of the party’s vice-presidents, Rosmarie Zapfl, who is…

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High-ranking Swiss official pays rare visit to North Korea

This content was published on Apr 11, 2001 Von Däniken spent two days in North Korea as part of a tour of the region which also took him to China and Japan. A foreign ministry official in Bern told swissinfo his discussions centred on diplomatic, humanitarian and economic aid issues. The official said von Däniken repeated that Switzerland was prepared to host further…

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Government to push ahead with talks on Schengen

This content was published on Apr 11, 2001 In a statement on Wednesday, the justice ministry welcomed the results of preliminary talks with the EU and the “positive signals recently received from Brussels”. It said that full participation in the Schengen and Dublin agreements was in the best interests of Switzerland and its internal security. The Schengen agreement, which has been signed by…

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Swiss Politics

Deiss meets Powell in Washington

This content was published on Apr 9, 2001 The meeting between Deiss and Powell is the first between a member of the Swiss government and the Bush administration. The Kyoto agreement, on controlling the emissions of greenhouse gases, which cause global warming, dominated the talks between the two men. The Swiss foreign minister said on his departure from the State Department, in Washington,…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss urge Bush to honour Kyoto Protocol

This content was published on Apr 9, 2001 The Swiss government is using Deiss’s visit – its first official contact with the new US administration – to convey Switzerland’s concerns about President Bush’s recent decision to abandon the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. In the letter to Bush, the Swiss president, Moritz Leuenberger, urges the president to “reconsider your position and… continue cooperation…

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Swiss Politics

Deiss in Washington for talks with Bush administration

This content was published on Apr 9, 2001 The meeting is the first official contact between the Swiss government and the Bush administration. Deiss is expected to reiterate the Swiss government’s offer to mediate between Israel and the Palestinians to help them achieve a peace settlement. There has also been speculation that Deiss might raise the issue of the Kyoto Protocol on climate…

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Swiss Politics

Swiss step up efforts against high-fatality arms

This content was published on Apr 6, 2001 The Swiss ambassador for disarmament, Christian Faessler, and Colonel Erwin Dahinden from the Swiss General Staff, spoke of the proposals at a preparatory meeting, ahead of the Geneva conference on conventional arms, in December. Colonel Dahinden said Switzerland would not ban cluster bombs because of their effectiveness in combatting enemy tanks, with the minimum of…

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Kosovo minorities given leave to stay longer in Switzerland

This content was published on Apr 2, 2001 The Federal Refugee Office said on Monday that around 2,500 asylum seekers would likely be given leave to stay in Switzerland until at least the end of autumn. It said the move was prompted by fears that their safety would be threatened if they returned home. The decision affects mainly Serb and gypsy asylum seekers,…

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