Here you can find the last 12 media releases and other news published by the FDFA, such as statements, announcements and articles, in chronological order.
All media releases can be found on the News Service of the Federal Administration.
01.06.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter met today in Seoul with South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Their meeting underscored the close relations between the two countries. During his meeting with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, Mr Burkhalter discussed bilateral relations, regional security matters and the situation in the Korean peninsula.
30.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
During his stay in Singapore, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, met today with Prime Minister Lee Hsieng Loong and Foreign Minister Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam. Their discussions focused on implementation and the first concrete outcomes of the Declaration of Enhanced Partnership between Switzerland and Singapore, which the two states had signed during the visit by Singapore's president, Tony Tan, to Switzerland in May 2014. Since the declaration was signed, a regular dialogue on financial matters has been set up. Furthermore, as a result of the bilateral declaration Singapore is facilitating access to work experience for young Swiss nationals.
30.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
At the security conference in Singapore, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, stressed how important joint measures are for building trust between states in the area of security. During his speech at the conference, he also referred to experiences during the Swiss chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
29.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Nearly a quarter century after the collapse of Yugoslavia and the fall of the communist regime in Albania, the Western Balkan countries have made substantial progress in the transition to democratic rule and an open market economy. However, there are still considerable challenges ahead, including decentralisation, the improvement of governance and the promotion of the political participation of citizens. Guests from different countries of this region exchanged views on these issues at the Annual Conference on Swiss Cooperation with Eastern Europe, which was held in Biel today. They also discussed ways of establishing efficient and reliable municipal public services.
28.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, received Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni for official talks in Bern today, and praised the excellent relations between the two countries. Among the topics discussed by Mr Burkhalter and Mr Gentiloni were Expo Milano 2015, the opening of the Gotthard base tunnel in 2016 and the significance of the New Transalpine Rail Link, progress made on fiscal and financial matters, and Switzerland's policy on the EU. The two ministers also discussed international matters, specifically migration policy and the situation in North Africa and the Middle East.
27.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
The Swiss Federal Council has given a positive assessment of Switzerland’s Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2014, with useful contributions being made to promoting security and cooperation in Europe in spite of the Ukraine crisis. In this spirit, the Federal Council approved the FDFA’s final report on the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. This report indicates that while the OSCE could not prevent the conflict in Ukraine, it has managed to substantially de-escalate it. As well as this crisis, there were other focal issues where Switzerland came up with cooperation-based proposed solutions, covering such areas as fighting terrorism while respecting human rights, and disaster protection.
27.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
During its meeting today, the Federal Council initiated the consultation on the agreement with the EU regarding the automatic exchange of information in tax matters. The agreement was signed in the morning in Brussels. Switzerland and the 28 EU member states intend to collect account data from 2017 onward and exchange it from 2018 once the necessary legal basis has been created. By implementing the global standard, Switzerland and the EU will make an important contribution to the prevention of tax evasion. This dovetails with the Federal Council's financial market policy, which supports internationally compliant taxation.
26.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Didier Burkhalter, head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, will take part in the "Shangri-La Dialogue" at the Asia Security Summit from 29 to 31 May 2015 in Singapore and, on 1 June 2015, he will co-chair together with South Korea the Asian conference of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). He will then travel on to Vietnam where, among other things, he will open the new Swiss consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City. He will have bilateral talks in all three states.
26.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, for an official working visit at the Von Wattenwyl House in Bern on Tuesday, 26 May 2015. Talks between the two foreign ministers centred on the bilateral political and economic relations between their two countries. They also exchanged views on cooperation at the multilateral level and discussed current world affairs.
26.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
On 26 May 2015, Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, signed a headquarters agreement with the GCERF on behalf of the Federal Council. Khalid Koser, Executive Director of the GCERF, signed the agreement on behalf of the GCERF.
22.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), received Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, for an official working visit at the Von Wattenwyl House in Bern on Tuesday, 26 May 2015. Talks between the two foreign ministers centred on the bilateral political and economic relations between their two countries. They also exchanged views on cooperation at the multilateral level and discussed current world affairs.
20.05.2015
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Press releases
EDA
Acoustics, architecture and direct democracy: these were the main themes of this year’s cultural event in honour of the diplomatic corps. The unifying element was the venue of the event – the Culture and Convention Centre KKL Luzern – where President Simonetta Sommaruga had invited the accredited foreign ambassadors to Switzerland on Wednesday. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), was also present at the cultural event in Lucerne.
Last update 23.04.2025
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