Events

MINSK, 14 December (BelTA) – Belarus and Switzerland showed mutual interest in intensifying political contacts. The matter was discussed as Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko paid a visit to Switzerland to hold political consultations with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), BelTA learned from the deputy minister.

The visit started with a meeting with Federal Councilor, Head of the FDFA (Foreign Minister) Ignazio Cassis. The sides discussed the key avenues of cooperation and showed mutual interest in intensifying political dialogue and expanding cooperation.

The current state of and ways to promote Belarus-Switzerland relations were reviewed in detail during ministerial consultations. The Swiss delegation was led by FDFA Deputy State Secretary Krystyna Marty Lang. The sides touched upon a wide range of matters on the bilateral, regional, and international agendas. The previous round of bilateral ministerial consultations took place in Minsk in February 2016.

The Belarusian deputy minister of foreign affairs also visited the Swiss Federal Assembly to meet with co-chairpersons of the Swiss-Belarusian parliamentary group of friendship set up on 11 December 2017, President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Council of State (upper house of parliament) Filippo Lombardi, President of the Finance Committee of the National Council (lower house of parliament) Margret Kiener Nellen, and members of the National Council.

Oleg Kravchenko also gave a speech on the topic “Belarus between East and West” to the faculty staff and students of the Eastern European Studies program of the University of Bern and the University of Freiburg, and took part in the following discussion.