Swiss Politics

“Business as usual” with Austria

This content was published on Mar 31, 2000 The Swiss president, Adolf Ogi (pictured right) and the Austrian chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel (left) have emphasised the good relations between Switzerland and Austria after talks in Berne. Ogi said it was “business as usual”, despite international attempts to isolate Vienna over the inclusion of the far-right Freedom Party in the coalition. After talks in Berne,…

Swiss Politics

21,698 new Swiss citizens in 1999

This content was published on Mar 31, 2000 Just under 22,000 people became Swiss citizens in 1999, a figure which almost matches that of 1998. The biggest group, at 26 per cent of the total, were Italians. The Federal Justice and Police Department said the 21,698 new citizens came from a wide range of countries besides Italy. They included Yugoslavs (10 per cent),…

Swiss Politics

Austrian chancellor begins controversial visit

This content was published on Mar 31, 2000 Despite being shunned by much of Europe, the Austrian chancellor, Wolfgang Schüssel, has arrived in Switzerland on a one-day visit – one of the first foreign visits by the head of the controversial new government in Vienna. Schüssel is due to hold talks with the Swiss president, Adolf Ogi, together with the foreign minister, Joseph…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland offers conditional Balkans aid

This content was published on Mar 30, 2000 Switzerland says it will contribute 200 million francs worth of aid this year for the Balkans. Swiss foreign ministry officials made the pledge at a donors’ Stability Pact conference in Brussels. However, Switzerland said further aid is conditional on being made a full member of the Pact. The state secretary in the foreign ministry, Franz…

Swiss Politics

Expatriates in favour of EU bilateral accords

This content was published on Mar 28, 2000 Representatives of Switzerland’s large expatriate community say they are in favour of a series of bilateral accords with the European Union. The seven accords will be voted on in a referendum on May 21. At a meeting in Berne, the Swiss Abroad Organisation said the agreements and, primarily, the treaty on the free movement of…

Swiss Politics

Swiss observer: Russian elections free but unfair

This content was published on Mar 28, 2000 A Swiss election observer, Andreas Gross, says Sunday’s presidential elections in Russia were free but unfair. He criticised that the media did not give the opposition a proper say in the election campaign. Gross, a Social Democratic Party MP, said the election had not been a race between equals. He said the opposition was denied…

Swiss Politics

Red Cross president to discuss Chechnya with Putin

This content was published on Mar 28, 2000 The President of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross, Jakob Kellenberger (pictured), is to hold a meeting in Moscow this week with the Russian government, including the president-elect, Vladimir Putin. Kellenberger’s meeting will focus on the humanitarian situation in Chechnya, where heavy fighting continues between rebels and Russian troops. The ICRC is seeking…

Swiss Politics

Government policy towards foreign residents criticised

This content was published on Mar 27, 2000 The Federal Aliens Commission says the government must do more to integrate foreign residents, who account for about 20 per cent of the population. In a 100-page report, the commission said more and more foreigners are choosing to remain in Switzerland. The authors of the report said this required a fundamental change in federal policy.…

Swiss Politics

Radical Party president to step down before general election

This content was published on Mar 27, 2000 The president of Switzerland’s Radical Party, Franz Steinegger, says he plans to step down within the next couple of years to give his successor time to prepare for the general election in 2003. In an interview with the Tribune de Geneve newspaper, the 57-year-old politician said he would definitely be standing for re-election in April,…

Swiss Politics

Clinton and Assad end Geneva summit

This content was published on Mar 26, 2000 President Clinton and the Syrian leader, Hafez al-Assad, have ended their summit in Geneva, devoted to efforts to restart the stalled Israeli-Syrian peace talks. There has so far been no word on the outcome of the talks, but a joint statement is expected shortly. The two leaders met for a total of five hours of…

Swiss Politics

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Swiss Politics

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“Business as usual” with Austria

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21,698 new Swiss citizens in 1999

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Austrian chancellor begins controversial visit

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Switzerland offers conditional Balkans aid

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Expatriates in favour of EU bilateral accords

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Swiss observer: Russian elections free but unfair

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Red Cross president to discuss Chechnya with Putin

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Government policy towards foreign residents criticised

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Radical Party president to step down before general election

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Clinton and Assad end Geneva summit

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