Sat 07 September 2019:
Kashmir is on the agenda for Switzerland during President Kovind’s visit to the country. This comes days after the European Union Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed Kashmir in a closed door meeting.
In a statement, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in Switzerland said the “situation in Kashmir” will be discussed among other things.
“Discussions will include the envisaged free trade agreement that the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and India have been negotiating since 2008. Cooperation between Switzerland and India on energy and transport will also be addressed. Other items on the agenda include climate change, global security issues and human rights, the situation in Kashmir and India’s regional situation”, read the FDFA statement.
This comes days after the European Union Committee on Foreign Affairs discussed Kashmir in a closed door meeting. The in-camera briefing of the European members in Brussels was held on September 3 with Gunna Wiegnad, Managing Director for Asia and Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS).
India maintains that changes in Article 370 is an internal matter of India and the dispute of Kashmir is bilateral to India and Pakistan.
Swiss President Ueli Maurer will receive President Ram Nath Kovind in Bern with military honours on September 13.
The official talks at the Bernerhof hotel in the afternoon will be attended by President Maurer, Vice President Simonetta Sommaruga and Federal Councillors Guy Parmelin und Ignazio Cassis.
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