Berset is a visit to the Saudis to burst

How to? with Saudi Arabia absolutist regierendem the king's house, treat the injured, according to all relevant Reports systematic human rights The question is in focus, since the critics of the regime, Jamal Khashoggi, was murdered five months ago in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The official Switzerland does with an answer, was in the UN human rights Council once again.

As virtually the only country in Europe, Switzerland refused to support a Declaration that Saudi Arabia sharply criticised for the murder of Khashoggi, but also for the imprisonment of suffragettes. The Initiative for the statement read out from Iceland, all countries of the EU and countries such as Norway, Liechtenstein, Canada, Australia and new Zealand have signed.

That, of all places, Switzerland, hostess of the human rights Council in Geneva, is off, the Department of foreign Affairs with Ignazio Cassis’ opening speech in February: The FDP foreign Minister, have referred to the case of Khashoggi in front of the human rights Council already. "Totally inadequate" to find this justification, Michael Ineichen of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR). The Island is the table Declaration have a much higher weight than Cassis' speech, in which he "en passant" mention Khashoggi. The Refusal of the Federal Council was "astonishing and shocking".

Coveted trading partner

The timidity lies on the line of the Federal President Ueli Maurer (SVP), described the case of Khashoggi the beginning of the year as a "long-handled": It wants to normalize the relations"". To currently Mason Plan, the Saudis, sought-after trading partner, Switzerland is the honor, this year with a visit to. The modalities of a possible tour would be tested"," in Maurer's Department of Finance on request. A "financial dialogue" as well as "political consultations" on a technical level, between officials should go to the visit.

However, now that not all of the Federal councillors are on such a soft course. Minister of the interior, Alain Berset (SP) stayed away this weekend for a conference in the saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, which was explicitly designed as a Ministerial meeting. It was the "Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety", one of the world health organization held a summit on patient safety hosted every year by a different country. This time it was Saudi Arabia, in the year 2020, there will be Switzerland.

Instead of Berset went Strupler

all The more conspicuous the Signal, the Berset and his absence is sending out seems in order. At the patient summit held so far four times, the Minister of health traditionally present in person. Berset was missing until now, only in the case of the issuance of the 2017 in Bonn (Germany) when he had to cancel because of a date collision relatively short notice. In Jeddah, a lot of the government were, in particular, from Europe representatives. Also Berset sent only a Deputy: Pascal Strupler, Director of the Federal office for health. To this purpose Strupler for the duration of the conference even with the title of Secretary of state.

Officially Bersets Department justified the stay of the Minister of health "Agenda reasons", without further explanations. Insider, however, hinted that the true reason of the case, Khashoggi is – in the case of transfers as is the case with his counterparts from abroad. The term "Agenda reasons" used of the SP Federal councillor, when he had burst in 2014, as a result of the Crimea crisis, a number of the planned visits with the Russians.

consideration on financial dialogue

Berset provides an indication of how controversial the Swiss, are all a friendly against Saudi Arabia government and administration in - house. The answer to the Iceland question in the human rights Council was preceded by the Hear after an intense struggle.

The result, of course, human rights organizations, is extremely problematic. Michael Ineichen of ISHR summarizes it this way: "We can explain the behavior of the Federal Council, just so that you don't want to jeopardize the financial dialogue with the Saudis."

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 07.03.2019, 22:14 PM