Swiss Politics

Brussels meeting yields little progress

This content was published on Mar 20, 2012 The EU has been blocking discussions on new agreements until the institutional question is resolved, while Bern would like to make progress on issues such as electricity or technical barriers to trade. Speaking in Brussels after meeting Swiss President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf and Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter on Tuesday, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso said…

Swiss Politics

Tax agreement with Britain ready for approval

This content was published on Mar 20, 2012 In Brussels on Tuesday, the two countries signed a protocol of amendment supplementing the accord reached last October. While the deal is essentially unchanged, interest payments, which are covered by a 2004 accord on the taxation of savings between Switzerland and the European Union, will now be excluded from its scope. Specifically, interest income will…

Swiss Politics

ICRC seeks Russian assistance on Syria

This content was published on Mar 19, 2012 However, after a 90-minute meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Jakob Kellenberger said Lavrov voiced clear support for a plan for daily humanitarian ceasefires in Syria and promised Russia would press President Bashar Assad’s government to accept it. Lavrov “clearly agreed to and was supportive of” the idea of a daily two-hour cessation of…

Swiss Politics

Red Cross chief holds Syria talks in Moscow

This content was published on Mar 18, 2012 Some 8,000 people are thought to have been killed in the year-long uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russia, along with China, has vetoed proposals at the United Nations to condemn Assad’s regime. Up to three explosions in the Syrian capital of Damascus on Saturday killed 27 people and wounded at least 100, according to…

Swiss Politics

Swiss open embassy in “rising” power Qatar

This content was published on Mar 18, 2012 Ambassador Martin Aeschbacher tells swissinfo.ch that the small Gulf kingdom “is on the rise” economically. Aeschbacher says relations with Gulf states are growing in importance. Qatar in particular plays a mediator role in the region, something he will be following “close-hand”. The new embassy opening comes against the backdrop of closures of various Swiss embassies…

Swiss Politics

Swiss played “crucial” role in Evian talks

This content was published on Mar 17, 2012 By offering its good offices under a policy of active neutrality, Switzerland played a key role in the Evian talks, which helped resolve the conflict, historian Marc Perrenoud tells swissinfo.ch. Perrenoud specialises in Swiss foreign policy for the research centre Diplomatic Documents of Switzerland, and is the author of an article on the Evian accords…

Swiss Politics

Damascus blasts follow UN security talks

This content was published on Mar 17, 2012 The explosions followed a briefing to the United Nations Security Council in Geneva on Friday by former UN Secretary-General and now special envoy to the region, Kofi Annan. Two car bombs targeted the aviation intelligence department and criminal security department buildings in Damascus, according to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA. Initial, but unconfirmed, reports said…

Swiss Politics

Foreign policy refocuses on Europe

This content was published on Mar 16, 2012 The centre-right Radical’s decision signals an end to the Swiss policy of “active” neutrality that was instituted under his centre-left Social Democrat predecessor, Micheline Calmy-Rey. Basel’s international airport is actually in France, with Swiss and French sectors. But a French court decision has thrown a spanner in the works, opening the door for Paris to…

Swiss Politics

Parliament dismisses bid to rein in central bank

This content was published on Mar 15, 2012 Both chambers held special debates in the aftermath of the resignation of bank chairman Philipp Hildebrand in January over controversial private currency dealings. The affair led to a reform of internal regulations and prompted the president of the bank’s supervisory authority to abandon a bid for the renewal of his mandate. The emotional atmosphere in…

Swiss Politics

Swiss hostages are free

This content was published on Mar 15, 2012 The pair from canton Bern were filmed by local television smiling and waving as they alighted from a military helicopter at Rawalpindi military base near Islamabad, where they had been transported by Pakistani authorities. In a statement on Thursday, the Swiss government said embassy officials in Islamabad were in direct contact with the couple, who…

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Brussels meeting yields little progress

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Tax agreement with Britain ready for approval

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ICRC seeks Russian assistance on Syria

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Red Cross chief holds Syria talks in Moscow

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Swiss open embassy in “rising” power Qatar

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Swiss played “crucial” role in Evian talks

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Damascus blasts follow UN security talks

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Foreign policy refocuses on Europe

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Parliament dismisses bid to rein in central bank

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Swiss hostages are free

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