Parliament opposes diplomatic cutbacks

Parliament has pressured the government to reverse its decision to shut the Swiss embassy in Guatemala and the consulate general in Chicago. Swiss expats, humanitarian groups and business representatives had protested the closure plans. An overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives on Tuesday backed proposals by the foreign affairs committee calling on Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter to reconsider the closures of the Swiss representations. Those opposing a reconsideration were mostly members of the Radical Party. The decision still needs to be confirmed by the Senate. Members of the foreign affairs committee argued the closure of Swiss diplomatic representations abroad made little sense from a political point of view. Dismissing purely financial reasons as a valid argument, they said the planned closures undermined the work of non-governmental organisations, Swiss businesses and, not least, the expatriate communities in central and northern America. ...