page_title: Foreign relations of Switzerland
section_title: Representation of foreign entities and in foreign disputes
hierarchical_section_title: Foreign relations of Switzerland / History / Representation of foreign entities and in foreign disputes
caption_attribution_description: English: The ministers of foreign affairs of Germany, the United Kingdom, China, the United States, France, Russia, the European Union and Iran meeting in Geneva for the interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme (November 2013). 한국어: 2013년 11월,이란의 핵에 대한 협상 장면
context_page_description: The foreign relations of Switzerland are the primary responsibility of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Some international relations of Switzerland are handled by other departments of the federal administration of Switzerland.
context_section_description: Switzerland also represented Cuba in the United States between 1991 and 2015.
  Under a series of treaties concluded after the First World War, Switzerland assumed responsibility for the diplomatic and consular representation of Liechtenstein, the protection of its borders, and the rulation of its customs.
  Due to its long-standing neutrality, Switzerland has served as the protecting power for many countries, that did not have diplomatic relations with each other, This reached an apex during the Second World War, when Switzerland formally undertook 219 mandates for 35 states, and represented another eight states unofficially After the Second World War, Switzerland served an additional 67 mandates for various countries, including those between Cuba and other nations in the Western Hemisphere after the 1959 Cuban Revolution, between Middle Eastern nations following the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and between India and Pakistan prior to the formalization of relations in 1976.
  Today, Switzerland has six protecting power mandates: 
  United States interests in both Cuba (until 2015) and Iran
  Cuban interest in the United States (until 2015)
  Iranian interests in Egypt
  Saudi Arabian and Iranian interests with each other
  Georgian and Russian interests with each other
  Switzerland played a key role in brokering a truce agreement between the Sudanese Government and Sudan People's Liberation Army for the Nuba Mountains region, signed after a week's negotiations taking place near Lucerne in January 2002. Switzerland has also sent services to allied troops in the War in Afghanistan.
  Switzerland is also playing a major role in Palestinian politics, trying to act as a mediator between Fatah and Hamas regarding the integration of employees in Gaza. The Swiss diplomatic efforts lead to an agreement called "the Swiss Document" which initially was approved by both Palestinian parties.
caption: The ministers of foreign affairs of Germany, the United Kingdom, China, the United States, France, Russia, the European Union and Iran meeting in Geneva for the interim agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme (2013).
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