“We cannot associate ourselves with NATO without becoming accomplices in NATO’s crimes”
GIPRI press release of 5 September 2024
(6 September 2024) The Geneva International Peace Research Institute (GIPRI) rejects the ‘’Security Policy Committee Report‘’ presented by Swiss President Viola Amherd on 29 August 2024.1
This report is incompatible with Switzerland’s neutrality and must be rejected as contrary to the Swiss constitution and Swiss traditions of neutrality and mediation. Several organisations have already expressed similar views.
GIPRI supports a neutral and peaceful Switzerland, a Switzerland that can play a mediating role between Russia and Ukraine, between Israel and Palestine. GIPRI advocates the values of peace and mediation in the spirit of St Nicholas of Flüe.2
The United Nations Charter requires all States to work for peace and reconciliation between peoples.
Of particular concern is the suggestion of a ‘revised policy of neutrality’, a euphemism for the gradual abandonment of true neutrality. More dangerous is the idea of a rapprochement with NATO, a warmongering organisation that runs contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Numerous scholars and law professors consider that since the end of the Cold War, NATO has undergone a harmful evolution, a metamorphosis from a defensive alliance to an aggressive and provocative one. They even consider that NATO, through its actions since 1997, in contravention of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions, can be seen as a ‘criminal organisation’ within the meaning of articles 9 and 10 of the Statute of the International Military Tribunal of Nuremberg (London Agreement of 8 August 1945) and according to the Nuremberg judgment of 1946.
Since the end of the Cold War and the dismantling of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, NATO has had no raison d’être. It attempts to usurp the functions of the United Nations, but Article 103 of the UN Charter (the supremacy clause) prohibits this. NATO is no longer a legitimate organisation under Article 52 of the Charter, and must be dismantled today rather than tomorrow.
We must acknowledge that NATO member states have committed atrocious crimes in Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria – with complete impunity. NATO members have used prohibited weapons that are contrary to the principles of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, such as cluster bombs, chemical and radioactive weapons including depleted uranium. We cannot associate ourselves with NATO without becoming accomplices in NATO’s crimes.
NATO had no enemies after 1991, but it created enemies in order to justify its continued existence. It provoked Russia and Belarus. Today it is provoking China. These provocations are contrary to article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter and constitute a threat to international peace and security for purposes of article 39 of the Charter.
Switzerland must choose between the United Nations Charter and NATO.
For this reason, GIPRI supports the Swiss federal initiative entitled ‘Safeguarding Swiss neutrality’, due to be put to a vote before the Swiss people. This is an excellent opportunity to prevent the Swiss government from pursuing its irresponsible rapprochement with NATO.
1 https://www.newsd.admin.ch/newsd/message/attachments/89335.pdf and https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-102256.html#links
2 Nicolas of Flüe or Brother Nicolas (* 1417 in Flüeli, Obwalden; † 21 March 1487 in Ranft) was an influential Swiss hermit, husband and father of 10 children, mountain farmer, politician, judge and soldier, as well as an ascetic, mystic and peacemaker. He is considered the patron saint of Switzerland and was canonised in 1947.