Federal President Parmelin Anticipates US-Iran Signing at Bürgenstock

According to Parmelin, the mediating states of Qatar and Pakistan, together with specialists from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), had selected the Bürgenstock as the venue. «Die Vermittlerstaaten Pakistan und Katar hätten sich in den Diskussionen mit den Spezialisten des Aussendepartements (EDA) für den Bürgenstock entschieden», said Parmelin. Both sides had signalled early on that they wanted to sign the memorandum of understanding in Switzerland in order to end the war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Parmelin was cautiously optimistic. There were some «rather positive» signals – but one had to remain sober. Contacts with the US and Iran had been very close since Monday, the Federal President added. He continued: «Je früher wir eine Stabilisierung finden, desto besser.» The negotiations had previously been led significantly by Qatar and Pakistan as the main mediators.

Vance to Sign, Trump to Stay Away

For the United States, Vice President J. D. Vance will sign the declaration on Friday. President Donald Trump is not expected in person. Personal protection of the US President and Vice President is the responsibility of the US Secret Service. The US had already been represented at the 2024 Ukraine Peace Conference at the Bürgenstock by the then Vice President Kamala Harris.

Parmelin chose cautious words on the significance of the step. He had not had the opportunity to raise the tariff issue directly with Trump. There is no timetable for the tariff agreement with the US. He had, however, been able to exchange a few words with his negotiating counterpart Jamieson Greer. His meeting with US President Donald Trump on the tarmac of the airport had been very brief.

Security and Logistics

Parmelin had previously visited the security areas and the Skyguide infrastructure. The logistics had been demanding, as the reception points had to be adjusted depending on aircraft arrivals. Yet all questions regarding protocol, security and the delegations remained open, likely until the final hours beforehand, according to Parmelin.

The security precautions are extensive. Over 1,000 hotel and service employees of the Bürgenstock must undergo strict security checks. The Nidwalden cantonal police are being supported by the Swiss Army in object protection, surveillance, reconnaissance, transport and logistics. The Federal Council has approved the deployment of a maximum of 2,000 army personnel.

The airspace around the Bürgenstock will be restricted within a radius of 46 kilometres. According to Parmelin, the choice of venue also fell because the location can be easily shielded and secured. The resort is located 440 metres above Lake Lucerne and consists of around 30 buildings.

Bürgenstock as a Place of Diplomacy

With the signing at the Bürgenstock, Switzerland is continuing a long tradition as host of sensitive international negotiations. In June 2024, the Ukraine Peace Conference with nearly a hundred heads of state and government had taken place there. In March 2004, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had chaired a meeting at the Bürgenstock between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot representatives, as well as the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey, in the run-up to Cyprus's EU accession.

In 2002, negotiations between the Sudanese government and the rebel organisation Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) had taken place at the Bürgenstock, resulting in a ceasefire for the Nuba Mountains. The Bilderberg Conference was held there three times, in 1960, 1981 and 1995.

Numerous politicians have used the Bürgenstock over the decades. They included Theodor Heuss, Walter Scheel, Helmut Schmidt, the Israeli David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir, the Indian Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer spent three summers at the Bürgenstock after 1950 and effectively used it as a governmental retreat.

Actors and film professionals also appreciated the place. Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer married on 24 September 1954 in the chapel of the Bürgenstock Resort and lived for over nine years in the nearby Villa Bethania. The Italian actress Sophia Loren and her husband, the director Carlo Ponti, lived for several years in a house on the resort.

History of the Resort

The history of the resort dates back to the 19th century. The hotel complex was built between 1873 and 1903; the luxury hotel opened in 1873. The hotels at the Bürgenstock were closed in 2006. In 2007, the resort was sold to Qatar; the Qatari state fund Katara Hospitality invested over 550 million francs. Three years after the sale, the financial structure collapsed, and UBS took over the resort for the symbolic price of one franc to prevent bankruptcy. The Frey family had sold the resort in 1996 after almost 75 years of ownership. Following an extensive renovation, the Bürgenstock Resort reopened in 2017.

Parmelin also commented on the G7 logistics and the Swiss position on trade policy issues. He expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the G7 summit, in particular with the handling of delegation arrivals at Geneva airport. The departures of the G7 delegations still needed to be organised, but were likely to be less complex than the arrivals. On the question of a tariff agreement with the US, the matter remains to be seen.

Open Questions on Tariffs and Forced Labour

In the context of the so-called Section 301 investigations, Switzerland is tackling forced labour in a pragmatic way by raising awareness among companies and carrying out controls. The government does not want to enact a law for this: «Wir sind der Ansicht, dass das, was wir tun, pragmatisch und wirksam ist.»

Parmelin indicated that further talks to settle details after the signing could partly take place in Switzerland, presumably not at the Bürgenstock, but rather at a location where experts are based. Preparations for the event are in full swing; according to Parmelin, security questions are likely to remain open until the very end.