Von Däniken said there had been a major political development in the last weeks, but he recommended keeping expectations limited
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump accepted an invitation to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but details of the meeting are still not yet clear.
“North Korea and the situation on the Korean peninsula remain a big challenge,” von Däniken is quoted in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper as saying.
He said Switzerland was well placed to act as facilitator given its long-running international observer mission at the demarcation line in PanmunjomExternal link since the early 1950s.
“We can make ourselves useful if needed. Be it as hosts or in multilateral cooperation,” he added.
Secret mission
Von Däniken, a representative of the independent Zurich-based Drosos FoundationExternal link, was in Pyongyang twice together with other former western diplomats in 2014 and 2015.
He said they held talks on a broad range of issues with Kang Sok Ju, a foreign policy chief negotiator and confidant of the North Korean leader at the time, Kim Jong-il.
The visits were aimed at establishing a regular dialogue with the North Korean regime but they were kept out of the news headlines. However, the Swiss foreign ministry confirmed it was informed about the confidence-building diplomatic drive.
Von Däniken was a state secretary in the Swiss foreign ministry between 1999 and 2005.
The current state secretary, Pascale Baeriswyl, was in South Korea earlier this month where she held talks with representatives from South Korea and China on the situation on the Korean peninsula.
More
More
Swiss welcome US-North Korea meeting
This content was published on
Swiss welcome the announced meeting between United States and North Korea. Whether a meeting might take place in Switzerland remains unclear.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Initiative calls for 36-week parental leave in Switzerland
This content was published on
The initiative proposes 18 weeks of non-transferable leave per parent, to be taken alternately within ten years of implementation.
Over a quarter of Swiss Catholics consider leaving the church
This content was published on
In Switzerland 27% of Catholics have thought about leaving the church, according to a survey by the Sotomo research centre.
This content was published on
Following the Credit Suisse debacle, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) is adapting its organisation.
This content was published on
The Swiss Armed Forces are training their fighter jets in Bern to fly from a civilian base. The exercise at Bern Airport will last until Wednesday.
Plans materialise for new particle accelerator in Geneva
This content was published on
Preparations for a huge new particle accelerator in Geneva have reached a milestone. After several years of work, a feasibility study for the project has now been finalised.
This content was published on
The value of frozen Russian assets in Switzerland currently stands at CHF7.4 billion ($8.4 billion), the Swiss government announced on Tuesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss welcome US-North Korea meeting
This content was published on
Swiss welcome the announced meeting between United States and North Korea. Whether a meeting might take place in Switzerland remains unclear.
Swiss and South Korean defence ministers hold talks on cooperation
This content was published on
Swiss Defence Minister Guy Parmelin held cooperation talks on Friday in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo
Swiss-made component found in North Korean missile
This content was published on
Swiss-made components were used in a long-range ballistic missile tested by North Korea in 2012, the Sonntagsblick newspaper reports.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.