Published on December 19, 2024 at 7:01 p.m. / Modified on December 19, 2024 at 7:10 p.m.
3 mins. reading
Relations between Bern and Brussels will be at the heart of the Horizon Forum which will be held on January 30, 2025 at the IMD in Lausanne. Federal Councilor in charge of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis will answer questions from the Temps.
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Many member states were urging it to go ahead, but Switzerland had to ensure that Russia would not veto it once again. A call from Sergei Lavrov to Ignazio Cassis on Wednesday evening removed the last doubts. Bern can thus announce its candidacy for the presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2026. Its status as a neutral state and its positioning in favor of peace play in its favor to resume the management of ‘an organization that has become largely obsolete since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ignazio Cassis, as foreign minister, is expected to occupy the post.
“This candidacy shows that in these difficult times from a geopolitical point of view, dialogue and cooperation constitute the only way forward to resolve crises in a peaceful and lasting manner,” the Federal Council wrote in a press release. The 57 member states will decide before the end of the year at the organization’s headquarters in Vienna. It should be a formality, even if you are never safe from a surprise. During its last ministerial council, on December 6 in Valletta, several countries suggested that Switzerland take up the torch after the Finnish presidency in 2025. To do this, it was necessary to ensure, if not the support of Moscow, at least that the Russian diplomacy does not stand in the way. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that Sergei Lavrov stressed to Ignazio Cassis the need to “strictly respect the fundamental rule of consensus.” In its press release, Moscow describes Bern as “one of the countries willing to facilitate a settlement” in Ukraine. This represents a notable change in attitude towards Switzerland.
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