High-level contact between Switzerland and Sri Lanka: Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis calls Sri Lankan foreign minister and sends diplomats to maintain dialogue
Bern, 19.12.2019 - Switzerland is continuing high-level talks with Sri Lanka to resolve the current crisis. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis phoned his Sri Lankan counterpart, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, on 18 December 2019 to inform him that Switzerland was sending former ambassador Jörg Frieden to Sri Lanka. Under the lead of this experienced diplomat, possibilities for clarifying the security incident at the Swiss embassy in Colombo are to be explored. Mr Cassis also emphasised that the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) considers the health and safety of its staff to be paramount, and that it is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that these are protected in the further proceedings.