Amherd talks to von der Leyen about the ongoing negotiations
Published: Thursday, Nov 7th 2024, 19:10
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On Thursday, President Viola Amherd discussed the ongoing negotiations with Switzerland with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the EPG summit in Budapest. Amherd also used the meeting for further bilateral talks.
"The Commission is still interested in concluding the talks by the end of this year," Amherd told Swiss journalists in Budapest on Thursday. Switzerland is interested in moving forward, but the result must also be right.
"We didn't negotiate, the chief negotiators did that," said the President of the Swiss Confederation. She did not elaborate on the three contentious issues of the free movement of persons, cohesion payments and the electricity agreement. She merely said that the Federal Council had discussed a mechanism for cohesion payments on Wednesday, but without any concrete figures.
Further bilateral meetings
Amherd met with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte for a "handshake", as she said. She had already met him in the summer on the Bürgenstock and in Blenheim, England, at the last summit of the European Political Community (EPC). It is always good to maintain such contacts.
Amherd also spoke with the President of Cyprus. They discussed the conflict on the island. In this context, Switzerland was prepared to offer to host talks, said Amherd. In return, the president said that Cyprus would support Switzerland in Europe when it takes over the rotating presidency of the EU in 2026.
Cyprus has been divided for 50 years. In the south of the island is the Republic of Cyprus, which is a member of the EU, and in the north is Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey.
A further meeting also took place with the President of Kosovo, said Amherd
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