Swiss want to ‘shake up’ international community over Syria

Switzerland is keen to help inject a new political dynamic in the Syria peace process, Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter has declared.  A Swiss diplomat will lead a Syria working group that starts work in Geneva next month. In an interview with the French-language Le Temps newspaper published on Thursday, Burkhalter said Switzerland wanted to “move the different fronts and shake up the international community…we have to believe in an agreement, in dialogue and a political solution.” United Nations Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, confirmed on Tuesday that Swiss diplomat Nicolas Michel, a former UN legal counsel, would lead one of four working groups on Syria, which is starting work in Geneva next month. Michel will lead the group on political and legal issues. Burkhalter said events were moving fast and the recent Iran nuclear deal had “totally changed the dynamics”. “It has enabled a resumption of dialogue between the Russians and US. At the same time the advance ...