Working visit by Latvian Foreign Minister, Edgars Rinkēvičs, to Bern
Bern, 15.01.2015 - Federal Councillor and Foreign Minister, Didier Burkhalter, received his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkēvičs today in Bern. Their talks focused on the presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Latvia will hold during the first half of 2015, and future bilateral relations between Switzerland and the EU. The two foreign ministers also discussed various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries.
Some four months after their last meeting in Riga, the Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Didier Burkhalter, and the Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, met again earlier today for talks. One of the important matters they discussed was Switzerland’s policy on the EU. Mr Burkhalter informed Mr Rinkēvičs about the status of the implementation of the new article on immigration in the Swiss Federal Constitution and Switzerland’s desire to hold discussions with the EU about the free movement of persons. Mr Rinkēvičs, for his part, apprised Mr Burkhalter of Latvia’s priorities for its presidency of the Council of the European Union. Latvia will hold the presidency, which it took over from Italy on 1 January 2015, until the end of June 2015.
During a working lunch at the Von Wattenwyl House in Bern, the talks centred on the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy, the situation in Ukraine, and relations with Russia. The commitment and future role of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were also discussed. In this context, Mr Burkhalter looked back at Switzerland’s chairmanship of the OSCE last year.
Another topic discussed during the meeting was the possible transfer of expertise in the area of dual vocational education and training, in which Latvia has a marked interest. The two foreign ministers also explored possibilities for greater cooperation in the area of innovation.
The excellent relations between Switzerland and Latvia have intensified thanks to continuous bilateral contacts in recent years. As part of its enlargement contribution, Switzerland supports projects in Latvia amounting to CHF 60 million in areas including regional development, the environment, the modernisation of the judicial system, research and education. The volume of trade between the two countries in 2013 amounted to approximately CHF 180 million.
The last time Switzerland welcomed a foreign minister of the country holding the EU presidency was 19 years ago when Susanna Agnelli, the Italian foreign minister, made an official visit in Bern.
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