Swiss Politics

Turkey and Armenia set for historic deal

This content was published on Oct 8, 2009 The deal, meant to reopen a border closed 16 years ago and establish diplomatic ties for the first time, has come under criticism from Armenians at home and abroad ahead of its planned signing in Zurich on Saturday in the presence of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. At the root of their anger is…

Swiss Politics

Alliance backs idea of ban on war materiel

This content was published on Oct 8, 2009 At a news conference in Bern on Thursday, the alliance said it wanted to prevent Swiss arms and munitions killing innocent people. The electorate will decide on November 29 on the initiative, which calls for a ban and transit of war materiel, with the exception of demining systems and those for civil protection. The Swiss…

Swiss Politics

Ties strengthened with Kazakhstan

This content was published on Oct 7, 2009 Swiss-Kazakh ties continue to grow beyond the new offices in Astana, the foreign ministry said. Trade between the two countries soared to more than SFr1 billion ($970 million) last year for the first time. Bilateral trade, however, remains rather lopsided for the moment. Swiss exports totalled SFr180 million to Kazakhstan, while Kazakhstan sold SFr875 million…

Swiss Politics

Gun owners give weapons up for scrap

This content was published on Oct 6, 2009 Lucerne was the canton which handed in the most: 3,483 weapons and 700 kilograms of ammunition. In canton Jura only 20 weapons were surrendered. The authorities were sometimes surprised by what they received. In Basel, several guns were loaded and ready to go off when handed in. Someone in Schaffhausen brought in a 1916 shell.…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland “in danger” of losing IMF seat

This content was published on Oct 6, 2009 As part of the discussions on Tuesday, World Bank president Robert Zoellick said developing countries should control half of the executive board vote. That means Switzerland could lose its seat. Among other changes, the 24-seat executive panel could also shrink to just 20 seats. Europe is a likely target for reductions since the continent currently…

Swiss Politics

Anti-minaret poster ruled racist

This content was published on Oct 6, 2009 The poster shows a woman in a burka and a Swiss flag pierced by minarets springing up out of the ground. An initiative to forbid the construction of minarets in Switzerland comes to a nationwide vote on November 29. A spokesman for the construction and traffic department of the half-canton of Basel City said the…

Swiss Politics

One sentence that splits opinion

This content was published on Oct 6, 2009 Several planning permission applications in the German-speaking part of the country provided the catalyst for the vote, with local residents collecting signatures against the towers’ construction. The rightwing Swiss People’s Party and the ultra conservative Federal Democratic Union, fearing a creeping Islamicisation, coordinated the anti-minaret campaign and took it to the national level. A people’s…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey visits Turkmenistan

This content was published on Oct 5, 2009 The discussions in the capital Ashgabat focused on bilateral relations and cooperation concerning energy. She also met Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. Switzerland recognised Turkmenistan in 1991 after the break-up of the Soviet Union. According to the foreign ministry, 14 Swiss companies have established bases in the country, operating in the fields of mechanical engineering and…

Swiss Politics

“Switzerland never feared unified Germany”

This content was published on Oct 5, 2009 In an interview with swissinfo.ch, Christian Blickenstorfer says Switzerland saw that the unified Germany was well anchored in the European Union. Blickenstorfer, who has strong family ties to Germany, says both countries are very dependent on each other – despite the difference in size. Germany is Switzerland’s biggest trade partner and accounts for a fifth…

Swiss Politics

Minister wants more spent on foreign affairs

This content was published on Oct 4, 2009 In an interview with the German-language NZZ am Sonntag she said that since Switzerland is not a member of the European Union it has to represent itself. “It is up to us to increase our influence ourselves,” she said. “We want to make our contribution to burden sharing in the solution of international problems, whether…

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Turkey and Armenia set for historic deal

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Alliance backs idea of ban on war materiel

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Ties strengthened with Kazakhstan

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Gun owners give weapons up for scrap

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Switzerland “in danger” of losing IMF seat

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Anti-minaret poster ruled racist

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One sentence that splits opinion

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Calmy-Rey visits Turkmenistan

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“Switzerland never feared unified Germany”

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Minister wants more spent on foreign affairs

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