A/HRC/4/19/Add.2 page 25 reactions of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, which deeply regretted the fact that the spokesman of a government party should challenge the authority of a Special Rapporteur of the United Nations, and of the Federal Department of the Interior, whose spokesman said that the comment, which was out of place, showed how ignorant the person was regarding the quality of African intellectuals. Similarly, the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mr. Moritz Leuenberger, said that he hoped that no such remark had ever been made but, if it had, it should be vigorously condemned. 85. Following his visit, the Special Rapporteur received various letters, some anonymous, from Swiss people, both denouncing situations of racism and the lack of action on the part of the authorities, and criticizing the Special Rapporteur’s preliminary findings and telling him that Switzerland “had no lessons to learn from anyone”. These documents and the content of certain articles and commentaries in the press that repeatedly refer to the Special Rapporteur’s nationality demonstrate the disturbing emergence of a culture of xenophobia in certain segments of Swiss society, which can have a long-term damaging effect on the image of the country, which is the European headquarters of the United Nations and which is rightly respected throughout the world for the originality and vitality of its political system of participatory democracy. V. RECOMMENDATIONS 86. The Special Rapporteur recommends that the Swiss authorities prepare, as a matter of priority, a comprehensive political strategy to combat racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, focusing on three main areas: − The Government’s public expression of its political will to combat all forms and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia; − Opposition to and condemnation of all racist and xenophobic political platforms; − Recognition of, respect for and promotion of cultural diversity, and commitment to promote, in the long term, a democratic, egalitarian and interactive multiculturalism. 87. The Special Rapporteur therefore recommends that the Government make available the appropriate means, mechanisms and institutions to implement this political will, in particular by: − Drafting, in cooperation with all political parties and in consultation with civil society organizations and representatives of national, ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, of comprehensive national legislation and a national programme of action to combat racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. At the institutional level, the Special Rapporteur recommends two measures: − In order to address the current rise in xenophobia, the Government should strengthen the Federal Commission for Foreigners and the Federal Commission