SWITZERLAND WANTS STABILITY IN THE CAUCASUS

Lragir.am
12 June 06

Swiss Foreign Minister, Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy-Rey is
visiting Yerevan. After her meeting with the foreign minister of
Armenia Vardan Oskanyan June 12 Ms. Calmy-Rey had a half-an-hour
meeting with news reporters.

And Vardan Oskanyan and Micheline Calmy-Rey announced that the state
and level of Swiss-Armenian relations, including in the framework
of international organizations is satisfactory, but there is space
to develop. For instance, it is necessary to decide the question of
visas to officials. There is cooperation in the sphere of natural
disasters, displaced persons and sustainable development of rural
areas. The Armenian Diaspora also helps sustain good relations.

Though the legal sphere is satisfactory, economic cooperation is
weak. Switzerland is hopeful that the relations, which began with
the humanitarian aid in 1988, will develop in other directions as well.

So far Switzerland has supplied humanitarian and technical aid
totaling 28 million franks to Armenia. A 4 million frank aid is
foreseen for 2006. On these days a business forum is underway in
Zurich, the Armenian delegation headed by Minister of Trade and
Economic Development Karen Chshmarityan takes part in it. Armenia and
Switzerland are hopeful that the forum will foster economic relations
between them.