Visit by State Secretary Syz to Israel and the Palestinian Territories
Bern, 02.09.2003 - State Secretary Syz will be travelling to Israel and the Palestinian Territories between 03. and 05.09.2003. In Israel, the State Secretary will meet the Minister for Industry and Trade, Ehud Olmert, and the Science Minister Eliezer Sandberg as well as representatives from industry. In Ramallah, meetings are scheduled with the Palestinian Trade and Industry Minister, Maher el Masri, the Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad, and members of the Palestinian business community.
As part of this economic mission, discussions will be held with local partners on the consequences of the intifada for the economic situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Switzerland will examine the contribution it can make to economic cooperation and integration in the region as well as to expanding trade relations between Switzerland and Israel and between Switzerland and the Palestinian Territories. Possibilities for cooperation in the field of science will also be discussed.
In 2002 Swiss exports to Israel amounted to roughly CHF 644 million compared with imports from Israel of around CHF 462 million. The principal export goods were pharmaceutical products and machinery, while precious metals and jewellery accounted for the majority of imports from Israel. In the same year, Swiss exports to the Palestinian Territories (primarily pharmaceutical products) amounted to roughly CHF 3.3 million compared with imports from the Palestinian Territories (mostly agricultural products) of around CHF 0.3 million.
Bern, 2 September 2003
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
Communication / Information
Further details:
Rita Baldegger
Head of Information
tel. +41 (0)31 323 37 90
Publisher
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs
http://www.seco.admin.ch
