10.10.2013
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Press release
EDA
On 10 October 2013, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter met the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, at the Lohn Manor in Kehrsatz for talks. Switzerland will expand and consolidate the already intensive relations between the two countries with the aim of creating a strategic partnership with Turkey, which is an emerging power and member of the G20.
12.07.2019 —
Press release
EDA
The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, culminated his trip to the eastern Mediterranean with a visit to Turkey. During his meeting with Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara, he spoke, among other things, about the open Cyprus question, human rights, and developments in Syria and their consequences for the region and Europe.
10.10.2017 —
Press release
EDA
Switzerland is committed to maintain a leading role in the worldwide movement to abolish capital punishment. On this year's World Day against the Death Penalty the FDFA has presented its new action plan, which sets out Switzerland's foreign policy activities towards universal abolition of the death penalty for the period until 2019.
23.03.2017 —
Press release
EDA
The head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, met with Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, on Thursday 23 March 2017 in Bern, continuing the frank and direct dialogue between the two countries. Their meeting at the Federal Palace took place on the sidelines of a visit by Mr Çavuşoğlu to the Turkish embassy. In the context of the upcoming referendum on the reform of the Turkish constitution Mr Burkhalter underscored the validity of Swiss law on Swiss soil, urged Turkey to comply with it, and said that Switzerland would rigorously investigate illegal intelligence activities. “Freedom of expression is a universal value recognised by Switzerland, which hopes that this freedom will also hold true for Turkish citizens whether they cast their votes in Switzerland or in their own country,” said Mr Burkhalter.
03.11.2016 —
Press release
EDA
"Relations with Turkey are extremely important to Switzerland, even more so today than in the past. Dialogue and listening to each other are essential if we are to rise to the challenges of our time". This is what Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter said on 3 November 2016 at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, at the Lohn Manor near Bern. The talks focused on the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, but the two foreign ministers also discussed their countries’ bilateral relations as well as multilateral cooperation. In addition, Mr Burkhalter mentioned Switzerland's actions and potential in the context of Swiss policy of good offices.
19.05.2016 —
Press release
EDA
On 23 and 24 May 2016, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, will attend the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul and travel on to Lebanon to visit projects supported by Switzerland to provide Syrian refugees with concrete help. On 26 and 27 May, Mr Burkhalter will travel to Argentina and Uruguay for bilateral talks and will meet the descendants of Swiss emigrants in Nueva Helvecia in Uruguay.
10.12.2014 —
Press release
EDA
Switzerland continues its commitment to the victims of the crisis in Syria. The Confederation’s Humanitarian Aid is to support the UN World Food Programme with a further CHF 4 million. This amount is part of an additional credit line of CHF 20 million pledged by the Federal Council, bringing Switzerland’s humanitarian aid to the victims of the crisis in Syria to a total of CHF 122 million.
29.10.2014 —
Press release
EDA
The Federal Council wishes to strengthen Switzerland's support for Ebola victims and crisis-hit populations in Syria and Iraq. This Wednesday it decided to grant an additional CHF 40 million, which will be used equally in order to tackle these humanitarian crises. Part of this contribution will be financed by the FDFA, via the SDC. For the remaining CHF 17.5 million, the Federal Council is seeking approval from Parliament for additional funds.
28.10.2014 —
Press release
EDA
At the conference on the Syrian refugee situation, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Didier Burkhalter, expressed recognition to Syria's neighbouring countries for having taken in around three million people affected by the conflict. He said that Switzerland was prepared to support measures designed to improve the situation of the refugees and that in November Swiss Humanitarian Aid would be sending more cold weather tents to northern Iraq.
12.06.2014 —
Press release
EDA
The FDFA strongly condemns the violations of international law and acts of violence currently being committed in Iraq, and expresses its concerns about the political and humanitarian impact of this crisis.
10.10.2013 —
Press release
EDA
On 10 October 2013, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter met the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, at the Lohn Manor in Kehrsatz for talks. Switzerland will expand and consolidate the already intensive relations between the two countries with the aim of creating a strategic partnership with Turkey, which is an emerging power and member of the G20.
16.10.2019 —
EDA
The Federal Council condemns Turkey's military intervention in Syria, which it considers to be in violation of the UN Charter and therefore contrary to international law. It calls on Turkey to immediately cease all hostilities and to work through negotiation towards immediate de-escalation and a political solution to the conflict. Switzerland has stated this position to Turkey several times in recent days. At the same time, the Federal Council decided at its meeting of 16 October 2019 to aid the establishment of business relations necessary for the work of the humanitarian actors active in Syria. The amended ordinance on measures against Syria will enter into force on 15 November 2019.
09.12.2017 —
Local news
Turkey
In exactly one year from today, on 10 December 2018, Switzerland together with the international community will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which 70 years after its adoption, remains of unequivocal relevance. Human rights are a necessity for our societies, an invaluable ingredient to boost peace and stability and to foster sustainable development. Human rights are at the heart of the values represented by Switzerland and its political model, which is founded on the principles of democracy, non-discrimination, gender equality, peaceful coexistence, and mutual respect among people having different religious, linguistic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Switzerland calls upon its partners to join it in making this Human Rights Day 2017 a day of unequivocal relevance for the promotion and the protection of human rights.
