Berset: “Human contact is what remains”
Published: Sunday, Nov 26th 2023, 13:50
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On Saturday, President Alain Berset returned from his surprising state visit to Kiev with many strong impressions. The Interior Minister, who feels at home on the international stage, was able to do what he is particularly good at: cultivating direct, sometimes improvised contact with people.
Mr. President, what impressions do you have after your visit to Kiev?
Alain Berset: "It was extremely crowded. I was there for about twelve hours and, frankly, it felt like several days. I had a lot of different emotions, as is often the case when traveling abroad..."
You are talking about abroad. Do you have any regrets about the fact that you spent your entire career as a minister at the head of the Ministry of the Interior and not in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Berset: "I feel absolutely privileged to have spent twelve years in the Department of Home Affairs. It is the department with the most tangible impact on people, on social cohesion. I have found that it is better to always stay in the same department if you want to have a lasting impact on things.
I am very happy with the way things are. My two years as Federal President, 2018 and 2023, have enabled me to engage in many activities abroad, as have the international contacts in the fields of health and culture that are part of my role as Minister of the Interior."
Contacts with people appreciated
What do you like most about this job as a Federal Councillor when you take stock (Berset will step down at the end of the year)?
Berset: "If I had to name one thing, it would be the personal encounters, the human contacts. In the end, that's what really stays with you. I recently spent two days with Emmanuel Macron and his wife at his reception in Bern. There, too, human contact proved to be very important."
How would you describe your last two major interlocutors, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Selensky?
Berset: "They have one thing in common: in completely different situations, they are both striking personalities. They are leaders who both have a lot of energy and devote a lot of it to the cause that is close to their hearts."
"A war that is designed to last"
What surprised you during your visit to Kiev?
Berset: "A certain resilience of the population. I was surprised by the infrastructure in Kiev, which is that of a well-functioning country. On the other hand, the population is suffering from the war. I was impressed by the very professional and calm way in which the evacuation of the press room was carried out after the sudden sounding of the missile alarm. They took the time to finish answering the questions before evacuating. Then everything went very quickly, right up to taking shelter in a safe place. The situation was handled very flexibly"
How do you see this war progressing?
Berset: "Those who predicted a quick end for one side or the other at the beginning of the conflict were wrong. Unfortunately, we can see that it is likely to be permanent. We are dealing with a war in which the front lines hardly seem to be shifting any more. One of the biggest challenges is to maintain long-term support and solidarity with Ukraine. Switzerland is very consistent here, we keep our word."
What contacts do you have with Russia?
Berset: "Switzerland has contacts at diplomatic level and within the UN Security Council. Switzerland's seat on the Security Council in New York is right next to Russia's. We talk to each other, but that doesn't mean we agree. By attacking Ukraine, Russia has violated fundamental rules of international law."
And did you have personal contact with Vladimir Putin this year?
Berset: "No."
What do you particularly remember from this year of the presidency?
Berset: "The contacts on the ground. I have been to Colombia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique, where Switzerland had a major influence on the peace process that began in 2016 through very intensive mediation. In my experience, personal contacts are very important in order to achieve results. Working groups and formal meetings are important, but informal contacts also play a crucial role. Sometimes the decisive talks happen during a spontaneous exchange, for example over an aperitif on a terrace, as happened to me in May in Reykjavik with the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. I've done this a lot this year and it works very well."
Bought new skis
What does your personal future look like when you leave the Federal Council at the end of 2023?
Berset: "I'm 51 years old and will soon have been part of the Federal Council for twelve years, two of which as President of the Confederation. What would have been a better time to leave? I will be fully committed until the end of the year, with the COP28 (Climate Change Conference) in Dubai next week. After that, I'm really looking forward to being able to relax a little! And I've bought myself a new pair of skis for that.
In twelve years, I have represented the Federal Council in 29 referendums, which is unique. Sometimes people say that every year in government is equivalent to two years in normal life. And the Covid years were even more intense. You don't get through that unscathed. Now I need time to enjoy my empty diary and get some rest. Then we'll see what happens. Maybe on January 3, I'll start thinking about what to do next..."
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