The Swiss Federal Council is right, except ...

by Suzette Sandoz,* Lausanne

(29 November 2022) The Swiss Federal Council does not allow Germany to hand over ammunition of Swiss origin to Ukraine because this would violate neutrality. This would be tantamount to favouring one of the two warring parties.

While the rules on neutrality in the economic sphere – example: international sanctions – leave some room for political discretion, the rules in the military sphere are much more precise and do not tolerate a flexible interpretation, even if the War Material Act reserves “exceptional circumstances”.

The fact that Germany is threatening Switzerland not to place any more orders for military material if it does not receive permission to send Swiss munitions to Ukraine makes it clear that the economic aspect could outweigh the military aspect in the decision, which would deal a fatal blow to the credibility of our neutrality.

On the military level, there are no exceptions unless it is a direct attack or threat to the country. May the Federal Council not give in to the sirens of the fighters of “absolute good” against “absolute evil”.

Perhaps with its current zeal against Switzerland, Germany wants to make its NATO allies forget that until the invasion of Ukraine it made no special military effort, but relied mainly on the NATO umbrella of protection. After all, they could now “beat up on Switzerland to relieve themselves!”

But can you tolerate in the same breath that the Swiss Federal Council punishes Iran for supplying drones to Russia? Since when has it been Switzerland’s task to ensure global discipline in military conflicts?

Its very own task is never to stop offering the warring parties a “ceasefire” solution, not to punish some and praise others. It will not derive the slightest benefit from supplying arms to one and punishing those who supply arms to the other. It will merely give the impression that it has finally joined the ranks of the “noble souls”.

It takes great intellectual independence and courage to remain true to the values of neutrality. The “what will they think” hates these values.

* Suzette Sandoz was born in 1942. She is an honorary professor of family and inheritance law, a former member of the Grand Council of the canton of Vaud and a former member of the Swiss National Council.

Source: https://blogs.letemps.ch/suzette-sandoz/2022/11/04/le-conseil-federal-a-raison-sauf, 4 November 2022

(Translation “Swiss Standpoint”)