Foreign Minister Cassis justifies his reserve and maintains a defensive stance following criticism regarding his actions
The Locarno Film Festival, known for its traditional political meetings, played host to a significant conversation between Ignazio Cassis, the Swiss Foreign Minister, and David Lammy, his British counterpart. The meeting, which took place on Monday, was part of the Day of Diplomacy held at the festival [1][3].
While the details of the special agreements hinted at by the ministers remain confidential, Cassis acknowledged that the path to a customs agreement with the USA is longer than initially expected and involves discreet coordination [1]. He emphasised that negotiations require multiple rounds and that discussions are normally conducted with absolute discretion.
Cassis also defended his approach to the negotiations, stating that while they talk to "captains of industry," politics should not be confused with science fiction, implying complexities beyond simple public involvement [2]. The nature of the potential special agreements was not disclosed.
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Despite the secrecy surrounding the negotiations, both ministers attended the Locarno meeting on the fringes of the film festival. However, they did not publicly reveal specific terms or details of any special agreements during their encounter [1][3].
[1] Source: SwissInfo.ch [2] Source: SRF.ch [3] Source: NZZ.ch
The politics surrounding the potential customs agreement with the USA, as discussed during the Day of Diplomacy at the Locarno Film Festival, were kept confidential. Despite the secrecy, Ignazio Cassis emphasized that negotiations require multiple rounds and are often conducted with absolute discretion.
