Swiss President Lauds Suleiman”s Efforts to Build a Peaceful Lebanon
Swiss President Pascal Couchepin, who arrived in Lebanon Friday for a three-day visit, praised President Michel Suleiman”s efforts to build "a peaceful and tolerant Lebanon."
Couchepin, whose visit is the first for any Swiss leader, said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart that his country supported "the national dialogue and the elections law that has been agreed upon."
"I believe that we could do more to improve our bilateral ties. Switzerland has to be more present in Lebanon through its investments," he told a news conference at Baabda Palace.
"The more the situation improves in Lebanon, the more the chances of Swiss investments increase," Couchepin said.
He said his country has provided 14 million dollars of humanitarian aid since 2006 and vowed to provide assistance in the clearance of land mines.
Asked about presenting the Swiss model as an example to solve crises in countries like Lebanon, Couchepin said: "There is no model that can be circulated to all countries."
"We have succeeded over the past years in consolidating cultural and political coexistence," he said, adding that in Switzerland, "there is no majority or minority."
On Palestinian refugees, the Swiss president said: "The presence of Palestinians in a country like Lebanon is a complicated problem that can”t be solved by this country alone."
"A just and comprehensive solution to this problem in Lebanon and the region must be (found), and Switzerland is ready to help," he added.