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First visit abroad: Vienna
By tradition, the first visit abroad of the President of the Swiss Confederation is to Austria. On 12 January, Alain Berset is at the OSCE: he meets the Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, and the Chairman-in-Office, North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani. On the agenda: the European security architecture, Ukraine, the Balkans.
On 13 January, Alexander Van der Bellen receives him with military honours at the Hofburg. Then come Chancellor Karl Nehammer, with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg present, the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, and the Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Johannes Rauch.
The two countries welcome the strategic partnership concluded in 2021. On Europe, Alain Berset defends the package approach proposed by the Federal Council and thanks Austria for its efforts to unblock Switzerland’s association to Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. The talks also cover Russia’s war against Ukraine, migration, climate and cooperation at the UN and the OSCE.
Thursday 12 January 2023 — Vienna
- Meeting with Bujar Osmani, OSCE Chairman-in-Office
- Meeting with Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General
Friday 13 January 2023 — Vienna
- Visit to the exhibition “Ingeborg Bachmann – Eine Hommage” at the Literaturmuseum
- Welcome with military honours by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, Hofburg
- Meeting with Alexander Van der Bellen, followed by talks between the delegations
- Joint press conference
- Meeting with Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg
- Meeting with Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the National Council
- Meeting with Johannes Rauch, Minister of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
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