FOREIGN
RELATIONS
On September 10, 2002, Switzerland
became a full member of the United Nations. Switzerland had previously
been involved as party to the Statute of the International Court
of Justice and member of most UN specialized agencies as well
as the International Atomic Energy Agency. Switzerland has long
participated in many UN activities, including the Economic Commission
for Europe, UN Environment Program, the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
UN Conference for Trade and Development, UN Industrial Development
Organization, and the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Prior to its
formal accession, Switzerland had maintained a permanent observer
mission at UN Headquarters since 1948.
Switzerland also is a member
of the following international organizations: World Trade Organization,
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, European
Free Trade Association, Bank for International Settlements, Council
of Europe, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE). In 1992 Swiss voters approved membership in the Bretton
Woods organizations but later that year rejected the European
Economic Area agreement, which the government viewed as a first
step toward EU membership.
The Swiss Constitution declares
the preservation of Switzerland's independence and welfare as
the supreme objective of Swiss foreign policy. Below this overarching
goal, the Constitution sets five specific foreign policy objectives:
further the peaceful coexistence of nations; promote respect for
human rights, democracy, and the rule of the law; promote Swiss
economic interests abroad, alleviate need and poverty in the world;
and the preservation of natural resources.
Traditionally, Switzerland
has avoided alliances that might entail military, political, or
direct economic action, but in recent years the Swiss have broadened
the scope of activities in which they feel able to participate
without compromising their neutrality. Swiss voters first rejected
UN membership by a 3-to-1 margin in 1986 but in March 2002 adopted
it, albeit in a very close election, making Switzerland the first
country to join the UN based on a popular referendum decision.
In similar fashion, the electorate rejected a government proposition
to deploy Swiss troops as UN peacekeepers (Blue Helmets) in 1994,
but Switzerland joined NATO's Partnership for Peace and the Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council in 1996 and 1997, respectively, and deployed
Yellow Berets to support the OSCE in Bosnia. In June 2001, Swiss
voters approved new legislation providing for the deployment of
armed Swiss troops for international peacekeeping missions under
UN or OSCE auspices as well as closer international cooperation
in military training.
Switzerland maintains diplomatic
relations with almost all countries and historically has served
as a neutral intermediary and host to major international treaty
conferences. The country has no major dispute in its bilateral
relations. Since 1980, Switzerland has represented U.S. interests
in Iran. Switzerland played a key role in brokering a truce agreement
between the Sudanese Government and Sudan's Peoples Liberation
Army (SPLA) for the Nuba Mountain region, signed after a week's
negotiations taking place near Lucerne in January 2002.
Switzerland (mainly Geneva) is home to many international governmental and nongovernmental organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (whose flag is essentially the Swiss flag with colors reversed--the Red Cross historically being a Swiss organization). One of the first international organizations, the Universal Postal Union, is located in Bern.
The Swiss Government on June
25, 2003, eased most of the sanctions against the Republic of
Iraq in accord with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1483.
The government lifted the trade embargo, flight restrictions,
and financial sanctions in place since August 1990. The weapons
embargo and the asset freeze, the scope of which was extended,
remain in force, and restrictions on the trade in Iraqi cultural
goods were newly imposed. Though not a member at the time, Switzerland
had joined UN sanctions against Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait.
Switzerland also has joined UN economic sanctions imposed on Libya,
Sierra Leone, UNITA (Angola), Liberia, and Serbia and Montenegro.
On October 15, 2003, the Federal Council ended the import restrictions
on raw diamonds from Sierra Leone and lifted sanctions against
Libya.
Switzerland in October 2000 implemented an ordinance to enforce UN sanctions against the Taliban (UNSCR 1267), which it subsequently amended in April 2001 in accord with tighter UN regulations (UNSCR 1333). On May 2, 2002, the Swiss Government eased the sanctions regime in accord with UNSCR 1388 and 1390, lifting the ban on the sale of acetic acid (used in drug production), Afghani Airlines, and Afghani diplomatic representations. The weapons embargo, travel restrictions, and financial sanctions remain in force. The Swiss Government in November 2001 issued an ordinance declaring illegal the terrorist organization al Qaeda as well as possible successor or supporting organizations. More than 200 individuals or companies linked to international terrorism have been blacklisted to have their assets frozen. Thus far, Swiss authorities have blocked about 72 accounts totaling 34 million francs.
Switzerland has furnished
military observers and medical teams to several UN operations.
Switzerland is an active participant in the OSCE, its foreign
minister serving as Chairman-in-Office for 1996. Switzerland also
is an active participant in the major nonproliferation and export
control regimes.
Under a series of treaties
concluded after World War I, Switzerland assumed responsibility
for the diplomatic and consular representation of Liechtenstein,
the protection of its borders, and the regulation of its customs.
U.S.-SWISS
RELATIONS
Switzerland is a democratic country subscribing to most of the
ideals with which the United States is identified. The country
is politically stable with a fundamentally strong economy. It
occupies an important strategic position within Europe and possesses
a strong military capability. It has played an increasingly important
role in supporting the spread of democratic institutions and values
worldwide, as well as providing humanitarian relief and economic
development assistance. U.S. policy toward Switzerland takes these
factors into account and endeavors to cooperate with Switzerland
to the extent consistent with Swiss neutrality.
The first 4 years of cooperation under the U.S.-Swiss Joint Economic Commission (JEC) invigorated bilateral ties by recording achievements in a number of areas, including consultations on anti-money laundering efforts, counter-terrorism, and pharmaceutical regulatory cooperation; an e-government conference; and the re-establishment of the Fulbright student/cultural exchange program.
The United States and Switzerland signed three new agreements in 2006 that will complement the JEC and will deepen our cooperation and improve our relationship. The first of the new agreements is the Enhanced Political Framework and was signed by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and Swiss State Secretary Michael Ambühl. The second agreement is the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum and was signed by then-U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman and then-Economics and Trade Minister Joseph Deiss. The last agreement is the revised Operative Working Agreement on Law Enforcement Cooperation on Counterterrorism and was signed by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and Swiss Justice Minister Christoph Blocher.
The first official U.S.-Swiss
consular relations were established in the late 1820s. Diplomatic
relations were established in 1853. The U.S. ambassador to Switzerland
also is accredited to the Principality of Liechtenstein.
DEFENSE
On May 18, 2003, Swiss voters approved the military reform project "Army XXI" that will reduce the size of the Swiss Army by approximately half. In January 2004, the 524,000-strong militia started paring down to 220,000 conscripts, including 80,000 reservists. All able-bodied Swiss males aged 20 to 30 must serve. Thereafter, most personnel are assigned to civil protection duties until the age of 37.
A new category of soldiers called "single-term conscripts" will discharge the total time of active duty service of about 300 days in one stint. Recruiting is on a voluntary basis and should not exceed 20% of a year's draft. The armed forces have a small nucleus of about 3,600 professional staff, half of whom are either instructors or staff officers, with the remainder mostly being fortification guards. The army has virtually no full-time active combat units but is capable of full mobilization within 72 hours. Women may volunteer to serve in the armed forces and may now join all units, including combat troops. About 2,000 women already serve in the army but, so far, have not been allowed to use weapons for purposes other than self-defense.
The armed forces are organized in four army corps and an air force and are equipped with modern, sophisticated, and well-maintained gear. In 1993, the Swiss Government procured 34 FA-18s from the United States.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Peter R. Coneway
Chargé d'Affaires--Leigh G. Carter
Political and Economic Counselor--Stanley Otto
Commercial Officer--Julie Snyder
Consul General--Doria Rosen
The U.S. Embassy in Switzerland is at Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3005 Bern, tel: (41) (31) 357-7011.
