News

OSCE Chair-in-Office welcomes Ukraine agreement

21.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Ukraine: Swiss OSCE Chair offers measures to end violence and resume political route out of crisis

19.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Ukraine: Swiss OSCE Chair offers measures to end violence and resume political route out of crisis

19.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

All possible steps must be taken to stop violence in Ukraine, says OSCE Chair

18.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

All possible steps must be taken to stop violence in Ukraine, says OSCE Chair

18.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter to hold discussions in Berlin and Paris

17.02.2014 — Press releases EDA
On 18 February the President of the Swiss Confederation Didier Burkhalter will meet the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. The main focus of their discussions will be bilateral issues between Switzerland and Germany, the implementation of the new constitutional provisions on immigration and Switzerland’s chair of the OSCE. Following Berlin, President Burkhalter will travel on to Paris for an evening meeting with French foreign minister Laurent Fabius in order to brief him on how the Federal Council intends to act following the vote on the mass immigration initiative.

Switzerland working to prevent torture and combat early marriage in Tajikistan

11.02.2014 — Press releases EDA
The 5th round of human rights talks between Switzerland and Tajikistan took place in Dushanbe from 10 to 11 February 2014. The aim of this annual meeting is to take stock of progress made in the protection and promotion of human rights. This year, particular emphasis was placed on the prevention of torture and early marriage.

Vorbereitungen auf die OSZE-Ministerratskonferenz in Basel

03.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Medienmitteilung Kanton Basel-Stadt

Vorbereitungen auf die OSZE-Ministerratskonferenz in Basel

03.02.2014 — Press releases EDA

Medienmitteilung Kanton Basel-Stadt

President Didier Burkhalter pays an official visit to Poland

27.01.2014 — Press releases EDA
On 27 January President Didier Burkhalter will be received in Warsaw by the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski for an official presidential visit, the equivalent of a state visit in Switzerland. The three bilateral talks with President Komorowski, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski will focus on bilateral relations, European policy, Switzerland's chairmanship of the OSCE, as well as a range of international and multilateral issues. On the morning of 28 January President Burkhalter will travel to Cracow where he will visit projects supported by Switzerland as part of its contribution towards EU enlargement. The afternoon will be set aside for a visit to the concentration camps of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.

OSCE Chair brings Organization’s proposals for support to Ukraine PM Azarov

24.01.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

OSCE Chair brings Organization’s proposals for support to Ukraine PM Azarov

24.01.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

All participants of Panel on European Security as a Common Project confirmed

12.01.2015 — Press releases EDA

Press release

OSCE proven its capacity to act in crisis year 2014 – continued efforts to reconsolidate European security needed, says outgoing Swiss chair

30.12.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Minsk talks must resume to rapidly advance peace efforts, Swiss Chair says

26.12.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Private military and security companies: Montreux Document participants Forum to continue working on implementation

16.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
The Montreux Document reaffirms the existing obligations of states under international law relating to private military and security companies (PMSCs) operating in armed conflict, and lists good practices designed to help states take national measures to implement these obligations. Six years after its adoption, Montreux Document participants have now established the “Montreux Document Forum” to continue working on the implementation of the Montreux Document and to share good practices and discuss challenges regarding the regulation of PMSCs. The Montreux Document is now supported by 51 states and three international organisations: the EU, the OSCE and NATO.

OSCE Chairperson’s Personal Representatives on tolerance make first joint country visit to Turkey

10.12.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Young FDFA employees receive prizes for their project proposals

08.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
At the annual Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) end of year event on Monday evening, Swiss President Didier Burkhalter announced the winners of the "Youth and Ideas" competition he launched during the Ambassadors and International Network Conference in Milan in August. Open to the youngest FDFA employees, the idea of the competition was to launch projects to put forward the values Switzerland's foreign policy must promote according to the Federal Constitution. These are peace, human rights, democracy, sustainable development and the alleviation of poverty. The jury said all of the 41 projects entered were of the highest quality. A prize was awarded to the best three.

Le président de la Confédération s’exprimera devant les membres du CIO réunis en Session extraordinaire à Monaco (fr)

07.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
L’an prochain marquera les 100 ans de l’installation du Comité international olympique en Suisse (CIO). A la veille de cet anniversaire, le président de la Confédération Didier Burkhalter a été invité par le président Thomas Bach à s’exprimer en tant que représentant de l’Etat hôte à l’occasion de la Session extraordinaire que le CIO tiendra les 8 et 9 décembre à Monaco.

Commemorative Publication marks 20 years of key OSCE Document on Promoting Democratic Control of Armed and Security Forces

05.12.2014 — Press releases EDA

The Commemorative Publication 20 Years of OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security was presented by Didier Burkhalter, Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE 2014 and President of the Swiss Confederation and solemnly handed over to Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Secretary General representing the OSCE Community. The Commemorative Publication was produced by International Relations Defence in the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS), and features contributions from academics and representatives of selected OSCE participating States, presenting the milestones achieved in the first 20 years of the Code’s existence as well as perspectives and ideas for its further development within and beyond the OSCE.

2014 OSCE Ministerial Council in Basel: clear endorsement of OSCE as platform for dialogue with capacity to act

05.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
The representatives of the 57 participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe adopted various declarations at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting, including on counterterrorism and natural disaster prevention. At the close of this year's Ministerial Council meeting, Didier Burkhalter, Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, welcomed an improved level of continuity in the work of the organisation. Today’s Ministerial Council decision to transfer the 2016 and 2017 Chairmanships to Germany and Austria ensures the organisation’s leadership for the coming years.

Ukraine in focus as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Burkhalter opens 21st Ministerial Council in Basel

04.12.2014 — Press releases EDA

Press release

Switzerland steps up support for OSCE monitoring mission and further de-escalation measures in Ukraine

04.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
In his opening speech to the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, President Didier Burkhalter, called for efforts to improve implementation of the de-escalation measures in Ukraine and to step up support for the OSCE special monitoring mission and the Trilateral Contact Group. Switzerland has earmarked an additional CHF 2 million to support efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine.

"Summary by the Chairperson-in-Office of the discussions of Day 1 at the OSCE Ministerial Council"

04.12.2014 — Press releases EDA
Summary by the Chairperson-in-Office of the discussions of Day 1 at the OSCE Ministerial Council, Basel, 4 december 2014.

"Promoting tolerance and combating anti-Semitism - our collective endeavour because it is our common history and our common future"

13.11.2014 — Article EDA

Bern, 13.11.2014 - Berlin, 13.11.2014 - Opening address by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Didier Burkhalter, at the Conference on Anti-Semitism of the OSCE - Check against deliviery