Cassis wants to win over India and China for Ukraine peace summit
Published: Wednesday, Jan 17th 2024, 14:30
Updated At: Wednesday, Jan 17th 2024, 14:31
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Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis wants to travel to China and India in February and try to involve the two countries in the work on the Ukraine peace summit. It is unclear whether Russia should also be at the negotiating table.
It has not yet been decided when the summit will take place, the Foreign Minister told the media on Wednesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF). "It all depends on how the influential countries want to be involved," he said in reference to Moscow.
The summit, which is to take place in Geneva according to a source from the Federal Administration, could be an interim solution. The Federal Council wants to bring as many heads of government as possible to the table, as Cassis said. It is also "illusory to believe that the UN Security Council can achieve anything on the Ukraine issue". Cassis does not want to wait and wants the summit to bring together as many of the emerging economies in the Brics group as possible. The broader the basis, the easier it will be to negotiate with Russia afterwards.
But "an end to the war will not happen without Russia", Cassis reiterated once again. Although Moscow had questioned Switzerland's neutrality, contacts with Moscow still existed today. The meetings during the WEF had given him hope that a new path could be found, said the Swiss Foreign Minister. However, he was also aware that it would be difficult.
Clear words on the Middle East conflict
Cassis had clear words on the Middle East conflict. He was "very concerned" about the situation. At a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amirabdollahian on Wednesday morning, he called on him to use "all his power" to prevent an escalation, particularly with the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The tensions between Tehran and Iraqi Kurdistan also represent a new dimension, continued Cassis. He was very concerned that these "small provocations" could lead to a major summary reaction.
There was agreement on the humanitarian elements, Cassis said after the meeting with Amirabdollahian. "Iran's official position is that the war in the Middle East must end," the Federal Councillor clarified. The longer the conflict continues, the more difficult it will be to protect the civilian population. Next week, Mr Cassis intends to take part in a ministerial discussion on the Middle East at the UN Security Council in New York.
On Thursday, Mr Cassis also plans to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. He announced that he would reaffirm respect for international law. This "humanitarian catastrophe must come to an end", said Cassis.
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