It said it wanted to wait for parliamentary debates on the issue during the forthcoming winter session before giving the migration pact its final blessing, according to a statement published on Wednesday.
However, the government maintains that the agreement is consistent with Switzerland’s interests, “as it aims to reduce irregular migration by setting benchmarks for orderly migration practices.”
In October, the government announced that it planned to adopt the pact with certain caveats, saying Switzerland’s migration policy already implemented the recommendations. It added that the treaty would be put to parliament for consultation as required by law.
However, the government has rejected proposals to let parliament have the final say on the issue.
The non-binding pact has prompted criticism from various political parties in the Swiss parliament, notably from the right. They argue the treaty would undermine Switzerland’s independence.
In several other countries the pact has drawn opposition from nationalists.
The United States, Hungary, Austria, Israel and Poland have said they won’t back the treaty. An intergovernmental conference in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh on December 10-11 is due to approve the accord.
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Swiss ambassador defends UN migration pact
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Swiss Ambassador Pietro Mona has defended the UN migration pact despite fierce criticism from parliament.
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Switzerland must join NATO, as in the future it cannot rely on its long-standing tradition of neutrality for its defence, John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser, declared in an interview on Sunday.
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A demonstration was held in Geneva on Sunday calling for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine. Around 50 Russians took part in the gathering outside the United Nations building to mark 1,000 days since the start of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
Swiss cantons have killed 39 wolves so far this autumn
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In mid-November, 35 packs of three or more wolves were detected in Switzerland. At least eight of them may be eliminated during the current hunting season. So far, at least 39 wolves have been shot in Graubünden, Valais, Vaud and St. Gallen.
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Pierre-Yves Maillard, president of the Swiss Trade Union Confederation, sees no agreement in sight in negotiations with the European Union.
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The "Dubai chocolate" has also caused a rush in Switzerland: queues formed outside the Lindt chocolate factory in Kilchberg, canton Zurich, on Saturday morning.
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Stargazers currently have the chance to spot shooting stars in the night sky. Until November 30, the Leonid meteor shower is lighting up the darkness.
Nationalisation suggested to save Red Cross Museum
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The director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva is calling for a national debate on the institution's future.
Climate: 224 Swiss companies announce CO2 reduction targets
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A total of 224 companies from Switzerland have joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to CO2 reduction targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
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.
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Swiss president praises UN migration deal
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Berset, who co-presented the plan with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, called it a “great triumph of cooperation in multilateral diplomacy that the negotiations on the pact will bear fruit in these difficult times”. Berset, the Swiss home affairs minister who also holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, praised the pact on Wednesday as…
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Three recent Swiss diplomatic controversies have raised questions about whether the country can still be considered a moral voice in world affairs.
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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.