Plane With Swiss Foreign Minister Flying to China Redirected to Moscow

ZURICH (Sputnik) - The plane with the head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Ignazio Cassis, on board, which was en route to China, was redirected to Moscow due to technical problems, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"Due to technical problems, the plane of the Federal Council [Swiss government], which was on its way to China with federal adviser Ignazio Cassis on board, was redirected to Moscow. It is being checked there whether a further trip to China is possible", the ministry wrote on Twitter.

The minister will not continue trip to Chinad and return to Switzerland.

"We have considered various options. Unfortunately, at the moment it is impossible to continue the trip to China. Therefore, today Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis will return from Moscow to Switzerland," the Swiss Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman of the Swiss Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that the situation when the plane following the route Novosibirsk-Hangzhou was redirected to Moscow, did not pose a threat to those on board.

"There was no threat to passengers," the spokeswoman said.

The aircraft landed in Moscow, and currently, various options are worked out to continue the trip to China, the spokeswoman added.

"Soon after the scheduled stop in Novosibirsk, the plane of the Federal Council [government] heading to China had to return to Novosibirsk due to technical malfunctions. Then the plane of the Federal Council brought the delegation to Moscow. Different options are being considered there, relating to the trip," the spokeswoman told Sputnik.

Cassis was expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Saturday. The sides planned to discuss the development of bilateral relations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as current international events and human rights. In addition, Cassis planned to present the Swiss government's strategy for China.