On March 13, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian delivered a statement at the 4th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva.

On the same day, in Bern, the Minister met with the President of the Swiss Confederation Ms. Micheline Calmy-Rey, who is also Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the two discussed bilateral relations and the prospects of Switzerland’s continuing and enhanced participation in Armenia’s development, especially the area of rural poverty reduction.

The two also discussed current issues on the UN Human Rights Council agenda.
                     
At the same time, the Armenian Foreign Minister briefed the President of Switzerland on the Nagorno-Karabakh peaceful process, taking into account the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan which was to be held on the next day, in Geneva. The Armenian and Swiss colleagues also discussed Armenian-Turkish relations.
 
In the second part of day, Minister Oskanian returned to Geneva and met with representatives of the Armenian community in Switzerland. They continued to explore ways in which the community may actively engage in the Rural Poverty Eradication Program announced at the Armenia Diaspora Conference.