Switzerland-The new Foreign Minister breaks a taboo
Ignazio Cassis thinks aloud about Eritrea trip It has been a taboo so far. But the new Foreign Minister
Ignazio Cassis envisages a trip to the most important asylum country of origin.
29.01.2018
*Google Translation
Does he break a taboo? Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis is considering a trip to Eritrea. KEYSTONE
He is still looking for the reset button in the negotiations for an institutional framework agreement with the EU. However, the new foreign minister Ignazio Cassis (56) has already found the button for another restart in his asylum policy.
According to the "Aargauer Zeitung", the Ticino Federal Council is considering a trip to Eritrea. This is the country from which Switzerland has long registered the highest number of asylum applications. This makes it clear: Cassis is ready to break with Didier Burkhalter (57) when dealing with the most important asylum country of origin. "My predecessor did not go to Eritrea. I clear that up; I do not know yet if I will drive. Maybe it's worth taking a look, "says Cassis in the" Aargauer Zeitung ".
But why did Burkhalter never fly to Eritrea? "I can travel to Eritrea tomorrow. But we do not want to be instrumentalized. It is necessary to fulfill conditions before such a visit can take place! », He said in 2016.
Cassis's party colleague Christian Wasserfallen traveled to Eritrea in 2016. There he also took this picture. CHRISTIAN WASSERFALLEN / ZVG
Sommaruga does not enjoy Cassis' travel plans
The goal of bourgeois politicians: They hope through a visit to the Federal Council on better chances for a readmission agreement. With 3375 applications, the African country tops the list of countries with the most asylum applications in 2017. However, a large proportion of migrants can not claim recognized grounds for asylum. Nevertheless, the country refuses so far to take back their own people. FDP Council of States Philipp Müller (AG), which has long been calling for more diplomatic engagement, is pleased: "With Federal Councilor Cassis have increased the chances of an Eritrea visit."
So no joy in Cassis' intentions has Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga. The SP Federal Councilor did not find Burkhalter's visit to Asmara expedient as long as Eritrea made no progress on human rights. (VFC)
