21.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
On the first day of the state visit, the Federal Council headed by the President of the Confederation, Hans-Rudolf Merz, received the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitri Medvedev, in Bern. The official talks focused on the good state of bilateral relations, the world economic situation, as well as questions concerning international security. At the end of the talks, four co-operation agreements between the two countries were signed.
18.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
The general debate of the 64th General Assembly of the United Nations opens on 23 September 2009. It will last until 30 September 2009 and will be attended by Heads of State and Government, as well as by ministers from over 190 UN member states. The President of the Confederation, Hans-Rudolf Merz, and the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, will represent Switzerland at the general debate. On 22 September 2009, Moritz Leuenberger, Head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), will participate in a high-level meeting convened by the UN Secretary General to discuss the issue of climate change.
17.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
The Federal Council has decided to present former Federal Councillor Joseph Deiss as a candidate for the presidency of the 65th United Nations General Assembly from September 2010 to September 2011. Mr Deiss has declared his willingness to stand as a candidate.
14.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
The President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry A. Medvedev and his spouse Svetlana V. Medvedeva, will make a state visit to Switzerland on 21 and 22 September 2009.
09.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
On September 7-8, 2009, the United States Government and the Government of Switzerland co-hosted an International Bioterrorism Response Coordination Exercise (called “Black ICE II”) in Montreux, Switzerland. This two-day tabletop exercise was an opportunity for officials from numerous international and regional organizations and national governments to examine the critical cooperation and coordination issues that would be necessary to respond to an international bioterrorism attack. Black ICE II built on the lessons learned through the original Black ICE exercise, also held in Montreux, in September 2006.
04.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
Switzerland today accredited an ambassador to ASEAN, the South-East Asian community of states. The Swiss ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Bernardino Regazzoni, handed over his accreditation papers to ASEAN General Secretary Dr. Surin Pitsuwan on 4 September 2009.
03.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
Today, Federal Councillor Micheline Calmy-Rey received the former UN Secretary-General and Nobel peace prize winner, Kofi Annan, for talks in Bern.
03.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
World Climate Conference-3 (WCC-3), which has brought together from 31 August to 4 September 2009, in Geneva, Switzerland, more than 2000 climate scientists, sectoral experts and decision-makers today established a Global Framework for Climate Services "to strengthen production, availability, delivery and application of science-based climate prediction and services."
01.09.2009
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Press releases
EDA
The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey have agreed to start their internal political consultations on the two protocols – the “Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations” and the “Protocol on the development of bilateral relations” – which have been initialled in the course of their efforts under Swiss mediation.
31.08.2009
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Press releases
EDA
Experts and politicians from around the world are meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, this week to ensure that the current and future generations have access to the climate predictions and information necessary for various socio-economic sectors to cope with climate variability and change. This will be done in particular by identifying the key components required for a Global Framework for Climate Services.
30.08.2009
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Press releases
EDA
The Implementation of the agreement between Switzerland and Libya is following its course in time. As a next step, both countries must establish an arbitral tribunal and designate each an independent third country personality. The Federal Council has designated the British lawyer Elizabeth Wilmshurst as arbitrator.
21.08.2009
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Press releases
EDA
Climate change particularly impacts the countries in the South, jeopardizing the progress made in development over the past years. How can climate protection be reconciled with the right to development? This was the question addressed at the Annual Development Conference organized by the SDC and SECO on the theme of “Climate Protection and Development”, which took place on 21 August in Zurich. Some 2500 persons attended the Annual Conference which featured Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, SDC Director-General Martin Dahinden, the Peruvian Minister of Environment Antonio Brack, as well as numerous speakers from both Switzerland and abroad.