Official visit to Bern by the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman

At the talks between the head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Didier Burkhalter, and the Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, which were held at the Maison de Watteville, the two ministers discussed Swiss-Israeli relations, focusing in particular on the follow-up to the last political dialogue (the sixth since 2004) between the two countries, on 28 March 2012 in Bern, at which both multilateral and bilateral issues were addressed. 

The ministers also discussed the countries’ economic, scientific and cultural relations which they qualified as excellent. Trade relations are conducted within a free-trade agreement between EFTA and Israel, which has been in effect since 1 January 1993. Israel has traditionally been Switzerland’s third-largest export market in the Middle East after the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Trade between the two countries reached CHF 1.4 billion in 2011, an increase of 6.6% over the previous year. Israel and Switzerland conduct many cultural and scientific exchanges, and the two ministers agreed on the need to strengthen their scientific cooperation. Both countries have universities that are very well positioned with regard to European research.  

The Middle East peace process was also discussed. On this occasion, Mr Burkhalter reiterated Switzerland’s belief that a just and lasting peace can only be established through the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state living side by side with the State of Israel within secure and recognised borders. Mr Burkhalter pointed out that this view corresponded to a broad consensus within the international community. 

On the basis of its tradition of offering its good offices and promoting international law, Switzerland has been committed for several years to advancing peace and stability in the Near East as well as respect for international humanitarian law through dialogue with all parties. The repeated violations of international humanitarian law by the different parties have made finding a solution to the conflict increasingly difficult. Mr Burkhalter recalled that Switzerland had regularly appealed to all parties to respect their legal obligations and to enter into serious negotiations with the aim of resolving the conflict and improving the humanitarian situation. Didier Burkhalter also appealed to Israel to participate fully in the Human Rights Council. 

Switzerland has declared its positions in favour of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. In this context, it has in particular mentioned the objective of holding a conference in the coming months on establishing a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. 

The two ministers also discussed the political developments in Iran, North Africa and the Near East following the Arab uprisings, as well as about the situation in Syria. Switzerland stressed its commitment to advance the process of democratisation in the region.  

The last visit of an Israeli foreign minister to Bern was in 2003. At the end of March 2012 Mr Burkhalter met the Israeli deputy prime minister and minister of intelligence and atomic energy, Dan Meridor, at the Summit on Nuclear Security in South Korea.

Further information 

Jean-Marc Crevoisier,
Head  of Information FDFA
079 763 84 10

Address for enquiries:

Information FDFA
Bundeshaus West
CH-3003 Bern
Tel.: +41 58 462 31 53
Fax: +41 58 464 90 47
E-Mail: info@eda.admin.ch

Publisher:

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs