The President of the Russian Federation, Dimitri Medvedev, tours Central Switzerland
Bern, 22.09.2009 - On the second day of his state visit to Switzerland, the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitri Medvedev visited the Suvorov Monument near Andermatt as a guest of the President of the Confederation, Hans-Rudolf Merz. In the final stage of the state visit, the two Heads of State travelled down the valley of the River Reuss in the Canton of Uri to the Federal Charter Museum in Schwyz. President Medvedev and his wife left Switzerland at the end of the afternoon.
At the Suvorov Monument in the Schöllenen Gorge, which was erected in the memory of the Russian soldiers who crossed the Alps in 1799 led by Marshall Alexander Suvorov, the two presidents were welcomed by the local authorities and the Suvorov Cadets Choir. President Medvedev gave a speech to commemorate this historic event.
After a short tour of Lake Lucerne by steam boat, President Medvedev and President Merz travelled to Schwyz to visit the Federal Charter Museum. The Russian President was welcomed by the "Landaman" (president of the State Council) of the Canton of Schwyz, Mr Georg Hess, and the local authorities. After hearing about the origin of the Federal Charter and the history of the Swiss Confederation, the local authorities presented Mr Medvedev with an 18th century Russian sabre that was found in the canton after Marshall Suvorov's army crossed the Alps.
The Russian President and his wife left Switzerland at the end of the afternoon from Zurich-Kloten Airport.
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