Discours et allocutions de l`Ambassadeur

Excellences,

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome and gratitude to everyone who is celebrating the Day of Russia with us today.

Celebrated annually on the 12th of June,
the Day of Russia commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty in 1991 and marks a centuries-long continuous journey of our Motherland, its victories and accomplishments, and a steady ascent to ever-greater heights of development. I would like to remind you that Russian statehood has a more than a thousand-year history. On this holiday, we say that today’s Russia follows up with the historical continuity of selfless labour of hundreds of generations of Russian people.

Our National Day symbolizes common fate of peoples of Russia who lived in peace and concord not only with one another, but also with their neighbors. That is why we look to the future with confidence leaning on sustainable economic growth, visible improvements in the quality of life of Russian people and growing role of our country in international affairs.

I am convinced that everything will come right both in our country and, sooner or later, in our relations with those foreign partners who are ready to build relationship based on mutual respect and benefit.

And this is how we build our relations with the Swiss Confederation. They are marked by the enhanced mutual understanding, trust and equal interest in fostering and strengthening cooperation in foreign policy and economic domain. Over the last years, exchange of visits of the heads of chambers of the Parliaments of Russia and Switzerland has become regular: Chairman of the Russian State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, visited Bern in February this year; Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, Yuriy Vorobyov – in May;
President of the National Council of Switzerland, Jürg Stahl, visited Russia in May 2017. Cooperation between two foreign ministries has been intensive.
Meetings between Ministers of Foreign Affairs are held annually in order to synchronize positions on main issues of international agenda on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly. In accordance with the annual plan of consultations between our two Foreign Affairs ministries, around 15 meetings in various policy areas are held at the level of political directors. These meetings form the lifeblood of Swiss-Russian relations which are coordinated by the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Russia and State Secretary of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland who hold meetings every year as well.

Constructive and pragmatic dialogue in foreign policy domain resulted in a steady growth of mutual trade. As you may know, the updated Swiss Foreign Policy Strategy 2016-19 regards Russia as one of the leading world powers and states its fundamental course towards fostered strategic partnership and intensified and diversified political cooperation.  At the end of 2017, the trade turnover increased by 22% and amounted to 6 billion USD while the turnover in services with Switzerland increased by 20% and reached 6.89 billion USD.  Russian investment stocks in Switzerland amount to 21.55 billion USD, while Swiss investment stocks in Russia reach 15.27 billion USD. It is clear that the neutral status of the Confederation, sovereign and forward-looking policy of its government, that did not join the unlawful in terms of international law anti-Russian sanctions, create favourable environment for the economic cooperation between our countries.

We appreciate and welcome this approach.

Russia’s openness to the world and recognition of its status by the world community is reflected in today’s opening of the FIFA World Cup in Moscow. Within few minutes, we will be broadcasting the opening match of the competition. I would  like to stay optimistic and hope to see the Russian National team and the Swiss Nati in the finals.

Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear compatriots!

I congratulate all of you on the Day of Russia!