Swiss Embassy clarifies

Swiss Embassy clarifies

We refer to the article in The Jakarta Post on Sept. 7, 2001
entitled Teachers key to education quality: Swiss minister.

In order to avoid a possible misunderstanding, the Swiss
Embassy in Jakarta wants to clarify that the person mentioned in
the article about the Swiss German University (SGU), Mr. Hans
Ulrich Stoeckling, is not the Education Minister of Switzerland.
Mr. Stoeckling is a member of the Governing Council of the Swiss
Canton (Province) St. Gall, responsible for educational matters.
Mr. Stoeckling is also chairman of the Swiss Conference of
Cantonal Ministers of Education EDK/CDIP, which is a body
composed of members of the regional governments in charge of
education. EDK/CDIP is therefore not an organ of the Swiss
Federal Government. The discussions held by Mr. Stoeckling in
Jakarta were therefore not part of an official visit of the Swiss
Federal Government.

Furthermore, the Embassy of Switzerland wishes to correct the
information given to readers of the Post concerning the
involvement of the Swiss government in the SGU. After an
assessment of this private project the competent authority of the
Swiss Federal Government (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs,
SECO) decided not to support the Swiss German University in
Jakarta.

GERARD FONJALLAZ

Ambassador

Swiss Embassy

Jakarta

Note: Thank you for your correction. -- Editor