On 10 March, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, met the President of the National Council, Stéphane Rossini, and the President of the Council of States, Claude Hêche, for official talks. The chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the National Council, Carlo Sommaruga, and of the Council of States, Felix Gutzwiller also took part in the meeting.
Mahmoud Abbas has been President of the Palestinian National Authority since 2004. Previously (2003), he had been prime minister under Yasser Arafat. This was his second visit to Bern; the first took place in 2012.
The talks focused on important issues such as the inner-Palestinian reconciliation process between the PLO and Hamas, and the search for a comprehensive and lasting settlement to the Middle East conflict. The Swiss delegation confirmed its wish to take an active role in restoring peace in this region.
Switzerland, which has a tradition of promoting international law, is trying to advance the negotiations in this field and in this way contribute to the creation of a just and stable peace. The President of the Palestinian National Authority welcomes Switzerland’s activities in this regard.
President Abbas’ official visit to Switzerland began on the previous day with a meeting with the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, and Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter.