Swiss Politics Archives - Page 1258 of 1338

More

Swiss Politics

Government remains committed to EU membership

This content was published on Mar 12, 2001 Speaking in parliament on Monday, the finance minister, Kaspar Villiger, said EU membership remained the government’s long-term aim, and reiterated that the cabinet would decide by 2007 whether to begin membership talks. He added that the first priority was to press ahead with a series of bilateral agreements with Brussels. Swiss voters approved the accords…

More

Swiss Politics

Swiss seek stricter controls on light weapons

This content was published on Mar 12, 2001 The Swiss ambassador to the UN Disarmament Conference in Geneva, Raimond Kunz, and his French counterpart, Hubert de La Fortelle, said light weapons are responsible for the death of one person every minute around the world. Describing these weapons as a “factor in the destabilisation of the rule of law” and a “threat to democracy”,…

More

Swiss Politics

Growing scepticism over national exhibition

This content was published on Mar 12, 2001 On Monday a leading public relations consultant joined in the criticism of the Expo management team, accusing them of doing “a very bad job” of promoting the exhibition, which is scheduled to open next year. Klaus Stöhlker told swissinfo the organisers had failed to instil enthusiasm in the public for the exhibition, which has been…

More

Swiss Politics

Most Swiss back EU entry by 2007

This content was published on Mar 10, 2001 In a survey of 1000 voters, fifty-two per cent of Swiss backed the government’s position that entry negotiations should start during the period between 2003 and 2007. The survey also indicated that the traditionally Eurosceptic German-speaking majority as well as the more pro-Europe Francophone population shared the same view. Twenty-five per cent said talks on…

More

Swiss Politics

Switzerland and Austria confirm joint bid for Euro 2008

This content was published on Mar 9, 2001 An organising committee will be established in time for the next meeting of the two associations in Zurich on April 17. The bid must be submitted to football’s governing body, FIFA, by July 2002. FIFA will make its decision on who will host the tournament in March 2003. The president of the Swiss Football Association,…

More

Swiss Politics

New foundation to promote Switzerland in US

This content was published on Mar 9, 2001 The Swiss Foundation for World Affairs (SFWA) is to begin operations in Washington this spring. Its main objective is promote Swiss foreign policy to the US administration by cultivating a relationship with the US media, in particular the New York Times and the Washington Post. The foundation will be run by Peter Ziegler, former editor…

More

Swiss Politics

Foreign minister calls into question timetable for EU membership talks

This content was published on Mar 7, 2001 In what is being seen as a climb down in the face of mounting anti-EU sentiment, Deiss said on Wednesday that the government’s timetable for starting negotiations might now be put back. Until now the government’s position has been that Switzerland will make a decision on whether to start negotiations by 2007. But during a…

More

Swiss Politics

Swiss FA welcomes transfer agreement

This content was published on Mar 6, 2001 The sport’s governing body, FIFA, has been locked in heated discussions with the European Union for the last six months, ever since the European Commission called into question the current transfer system, where players under contract are effectively sold by their old club when they move on to a new one. While Switzerland is not…

More

Swiss Politics

Xamax deal falls flat

This content was published on Mar 6, 2001 The marketing company, IMG Switzerland, announced on Tuesday that it was pulling out of its deal with Xamax, just a week after the plan was announced. IMG had originally offered to buy a majority share in the struggling club if the Neuchâtel side succeeded in avoiding relegation and if the local government agreed to modernise…

More

Swiss Politics

Foreign minister takes knock over handling of EU vote

This content was published on Mar 6, 2001 The People’s Party – one of the four in government – called on Deiss to give up his cabinet post in the wake of a nationwide vote on Sunday, in which the Swiss overwhelmingly rejected an immediate start to talks on EU membership. The call came after Deiss denied that the outcome of the ballot…

Swiss Politics

Popular Stories

Most Discussed