Cassis at the UN: “Without the US, little gets done in this world”
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Switzerland intends to continue offering its diplomatic channels to help unblock peace processes that have stalled in the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, said at the UN in New York.
Bern could facilitate talks and launch the first initiatives, but it does not have the political and military power of the United States to compel the parties to the conflict to reach a compromise, he added.
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“Without the United States, not much happens in this world,” Cassis told media representatives in New York. “Despite all their weaknesses, despite a style that we may not like, and despite [President Donald Trump’s] choice of words, which are not always appropriate.”
Since 1980, Switzerland has represented the interests of the US in Iran. This role has helped to keep a channel of communication open between Washington and Tehran, even during the most difficult times.
In New York, Cassis also met with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. Thanks to its access to Iran, Switzerland can facilitate talks at a discreet level. The main objective is not so much to reach spectacular agreements as to make the dialogue itself possible.
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According to Cassis, dialogue with the Gulf Cooperation Council – comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman – should be strengthened in light of the growing regional interconnection of the Middle East conflict.
In February, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, a consultation mechanism was agreed upon. The participating states are to hold regular discussions on political issues and assess possible joint initiatives.
Lavorov meeting
As stated on the social media platform X, Cassis also met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, during the UN General Assembly. They took stock of Switzerland’s chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) since Cassis’s visit to Moscow in February and are said to have discussed the next steps regarding the OSCE’s agenda.
As for the conflict in Ukraine, Cassis believes that Switzerland’s role lies primarily in diplomatic efforts. As the current chair of the OSCE, Switzerland could draw on the organisation’s tools and experience to support a negotiated solution. Actual mediation between Moscow and Kyiv must now come from the US.
Cassis identified the lack of willingness on the part of both states to take a decisive step as the main obstacle to peace. Both sides continue to believe they can win the war militarily.
Cassis and Guy Parmelin, who was in New York in his capacity as President of the Swiss Confederation, have now returned to Switzerland.
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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
