President of Switzerland is the political risk that

A stiff Handshake, a faulty guestbook entry, and a CNN Interview in gestottertem English: the President of the Ueli Maurer history with the U.S. President Donald Trump was a Disaster for the Swiss.

The disaster was programmed and started already the day before. As the Federal Council met on Wednesday to his weekly session, there was still nothing on the trip to the USA. Then foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis in a to be aside, suddenly, the Federal President Maurer, the Details of the visit to Trump regulated said.

The other Federal councillors were troubled. No one had known anything. Mason had submitted to the Committee no information of note, and certainly no paper in the objectives, procedures and any rules language would be defined.

Some members were not only surprised, but also annoyed. It was feared that the visit to Washington was ill-prepared. The appearance in addition to the unpredictable Trump could get out of control. And because of the role in the Iran-USA conflict, special care should be anyway provided. Switzerland represents US interests in Iran, and is a potential mediator.

Of Trump's "instrumentalized"

their fears were confirmed: The President was only interested in a possible free-trade agreement with the United States. At the same time he played the significance of the conflict between the United States and Iran down. In the CNN Interview, he was prompt as a Swiss President since, not only English, but also any understanding of the geopolitical situation leave. In front of the local cameras, Maurer praised the controversial US President as one who could get along with well.

"Not a sensible word to the Iran conflict, not the smallest reminder for restraint in Iran came from the Federal President," asks a leading Swiss Diplomat. Masons have been clueless in the service of the United States. Prompt the White house pointed out, after the Meeting, the role of Switzerland in the Iran conflict, and represented it as a sign of their own efforts, to come up with the Iran to the pure.

"Mason was from Trump to use", says the SP-Nationalrat Fabian Molina . The Federal President had of Trumps impulsiveness surprise. Mason was in the short term, and ill-prepared to Washington traveled. "Such appearances will damage the Image of Switzerland." And Green President Regula Rytz warns: "Switzerland must not be pawn in the game of US interests in the Middle East."

It is not the first Time that Maurer with naive Statements and a non-critical attitude towards Powerful brings Switzerland in embarrassment. Since the beginning of his term, a risk is the Maurer factor in the Swiss foreign policy .

"It's a Mason only about as many orders as possible for Swiss companies to get."Green party leader Regula Rytz

in the beginning of the year at the world economic forum in Davos, he had a Meeting with the Saudi Minister of Finance announced that they had dealt with the case, Khashoggi "a long time". The critics of the regime Jamal Khashoggi was with the help of the Saudi Royal family's been murdered. Maurer's Federal Council colleagues made it clear that would have normalized relations with Saudi Arabia under any circumstances.

The Federal President had learned from previous incidents, obviously, nothing. When he was asked in his first presidential year of 2013, by a journalist, whether it is a good idea to visit because of the Tiananmen square massacre of 1989, the Chinese armored forces, had Maurer to reply, you can already "draw a line under this story".

it Is only inadequate preparation and moodiness, the masons can be compared to the powerful men in East and West, the distance necessary to lose? Some also believe that he didn't understand foreign policy too one-sided as the economic policy . Therefore, he will lose the Balance.

"For masons, it does not matter with whom he is negotiating. He's only about as many orders as possible for Swiss companies to get," says Green party leader Rytz. Switzerland have much more to offer. "As a neutral country with a humanitarian Tradition, to strive for a peaceful coexistence in the world and for the human rights."

In the case of Maurer's foreign policy: Economy first

During his visit to China in April, Maurer said the human rights situation though. But here, too, economic interests were the focus. Mason did not defend only the controversial silk road project, but assured the Chinese investment. After the reception with military honours for head of state Xi Jinping to the SVP Federal Council spoke of a "very harmonious visit." SP chief Christian Levrat says, Mason was in a daze as the press chief of the Chinese President.

Mason behind driving the efforts for a coherent foreign policy, says SP-man Molina. "As Federal President, he makes pure SVP-foreign policy." In Bern, one wonders, therefore, whether a Mason can be sometimes of an Anti-EU Reflex goings-on. The demonstrated proximity to the silk road project, he was slashing at any rate as against the EU designed, which sees the project of Chinese supremacy policy.

Recently provoked a Mason in a Meeting of EU ambassadors and diplomats. "Taunting", as participants found, he omitted the fact that he had been invited by all the Big, only Brussels I speak it is not necessary to be with him. Above all, the EU Ambassador flew into a Rage, because a Mason never to have a conversation with the EU got interested.

In Bern you fear, masons behind driving, be aware of the Swiss EU-Appeasement policy. The government will present to Brussels soon, you no to the framework agreement. To the EU to prevent the harsh reactions, it is necessary to tune mild, say diplomats and members of the again and again. Maurer's provocations have become a Problem.

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Created: 18.05.2019, 23:10 PM