Friday and Saturday, Swiss and American politicians met in Geneva to try to improve the situation on the front of new customs rights imposed in Switzerland by the United States. Present during this meeting, the national councilor Damien Cottier (PLR/NE) revealed the content of the exchanges on the set of 7:30 p.m. RTS.
Since his return from Washington, the federal administration has continued to work from Switzerland to try to lower the 39% of American customs duties.
>> Reread: Karin Keller-Sutter and Guy Parmelin come back empty-handed from Washington, Swiss products taxed at 39%
Parliament also activates behind the scenes. Friday and Saturday, Swiss and American politicians met in Geneva at the Intercontinental hotel, rich in a very long history of international meetings. Damien Cottier, Laurent Wehrli, Simon Michel and Fabien Molina met members of the US Congress: 20 Republicans and 8 Democrats.
A historically strong link
The Swiss delegation began by reminding American parliamentarians the seniority and the strength of the bond that links Switzerland to the United States, both diplomatic and commercially.
They were told that what is happening with these customs duties is posing a big problem with the relationship
“It impresses when we recall that we are the sixth investor in the United States, which is enormous for a country the size of Switzerland,” slipped the president of the Swiss-USA parliamentary association Damien Cottier on the set of RTS at 7:30 p.m., back of discussions which he described as “very constructive”.
“They were told that what is currently happening with these customs rights poses a big problem to the relationship,” continued the national councilor, who says he felt the American delegation very sensitive to the call of Switzerland.
>> Read also: Trump threat to exports: the most in danger of the Swiss sectors
Misunderstanding
“Some parliamentarians are favorable to the higher customs duties policy of Donald Trump, others not. But all of them are of the opinion that we are struggling to understand why Switzerland and also badly treated, and also differently compared to its neighbors, European in particular,” he reports.
In his eyes, Switzerland can also interest the United States for its experience in vocational training. “It is very important if they want to reindustrialize. Switzerland can help, but obviously it can only do it if the relationship is good … We can see that this question of customs duties is central,” pleads the deputy Neuchâtel.
>> Read on this subject: The American Minister of Labor wants to draw inspiration from the Swiss learning system
A “Mar-A-Lago team” at the front
The Federal Council, for its part, is now on heavy goods vehicles from the economy. In addition to the president of the Confederation Karin Keller-Sutter, the Minister of Economy Guy Parmelin and the Secretary of State for International Financial Questions Daniela Stoffel, who left on Tuesday in Washington and returned to Switzerland on Tuesday after their express visit, Switzerland had sent to the American capital a delegation of the Seco taken by its head of Helene Budliger Artieda.
>> The subject of 7:30 p.m. on the new Federal Council strategy:
Among them: Severin Schwan, the chairman of the Board of Directors, Daniel Jäggi, the president of Mercuria (oil trading), Jens Fehlinger, at the head of Swiss, as well as Marcel Erni and Alfred Gantner of Partners Group (capital-investment). Internally, they would be nicknamed “the Mar-A-Lago team”, in reference to the luxurious Golf Club of Donald Trump in Florida. Some also call to go through Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, appreciated by the American president.
We must get used to the fact that the current American government and its president work a little differently than classical diplomacy, to say the least!
Do you have to be a billionaire and go play golf with Donald Trump to have a chance to influence his decisions? “We have to get used to the fact that the current American government and its president work a little differently than classical diplomacy, to say the least!”, Note Damien Cottier. “In the situation in which we are, we must try other levers, other resources. This is what we did yesterday through American parliamentarians, hoping that they are addressed to the President to try to influence him.”
And the Neuchâtel to conclude: “I do not play golf. But if some play it, can influence Donald Trump in this way and that it is effective, at the end, this is what matters”.
>> Read also: Gold and flattery gifts: how the leaders Cajolate Donald Trump
Interview by Fanny Zürcher
Adaptation web: Vincent Cherpillod
