Siberian bear cubs (Photo: RANDO)

Siberian bear cubs, welcomed at Bern's Tierpark (Photo: RANDO)

Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev, arrived in Bern 21 September to military honours and a town that was completely locked down for security reasons. It is the first state visit to Switzerland by a Russian head of state. Medvedev thanked his host, Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz, for representing Russia’s interests in its conflict with Georgia, and he suggested that Swiss neutrality might enable Switzerland to act as a go-between to build bridges between Russia and Nato in order to advance Russia’s new vision for security in Europe.

Switzerland’s programme for economic cooperation with Eastern Europe has supported the transition process in the Russian Federation since 1993. The focus has been mainly on building the private sector, sustainable development of natural resources and governance issues such as migration, human trafficking and prison management.

Switzerland has been working with Russia on sustainable forest projects for several years, part of the economic cooperation programme.

Four agreements were signed at the end of the first day of the two-day visit, covering visas, repatriation, aid in cases of disaster, and a memorandum on sport. The two countries have now signed several treaties.

The Russian leader offered Merz two seven-months old Siberian bears as a gift. They will spend four months in quarantine in the city’s new bear pit, which opens to the public 22 October. At some date, not yet determined, they will be joined in the bear pit by a couple, two bears from Finland and Denmark who are currently living at the city’s animal park, the Tierpark.

Related: Le Temps, NZZ (Ger), TSR

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