POLITICS-SWITZERLAND: UN Membership to Test Long-Held Neutrality

By Gustavo Capdevila Reprint | | Print |

Gustavo Capdevila

GENEVA, Mar 4 2002 (IPS) - With a narrow victory for the vote in favour of joining the United Nations, Switzerland begins to abandon centuries of neutrality, though still maintains its independence from Europe and the North American Treaty Organisation (NATO).

The electorates of the major Swiss cities (Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich, Bern and Basil) and the cantons in the largely French- speaking western region gave the “yes” option the edge in Sunday’s referendum with 54.6 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, the residents of “deep Switzerland”, of the valleys and mountains of the German- and Italian-speaking cantons, in the east and south, respectively, opted for the “no” vote.

The UN Charter, which Switzerland must adopt upon officially joining the organisation at the next session of the General Assembly, in September, will in some ways limit the country’s long tradition of neutrality.

Right-wing politician and billionaire industrialist Christoph Blocher, of the Central Democratic Union, led the opposition campaign. He charged that UN membership “will lead to the weakening of Switzerland.”

“People’s freedom and rights will be limited, and neutrality will at the very least be profoundly damaged,” he said in reaction to the referendum results.

A similar ballot initiative, on Jun 10, 2001, had given an indication of the waning of the neutrality ideal, when the majority – in another close vote – approved sending Swiss soldiers to take part in foreign peacekeeping missions.

The two vote results undermine the principle of neutrality, pillar of the notion that Switzerland would participate on the international stage only “in special cases”.

Another unique characteristic of the country has been its independence in the financial realm, based on the principle of banking secrecy and the token or zero taxes on investor profits.

But there are no signs that Swiss authorities intend to change those policies, also long-held, in spite of voices from the international community urging that they should be lifted periodically to prevent ill-gotten profits from being protected by the banking industry.

The active support of the business community and government in favour of UN membership has been interpreted as an escape valve to relieve the pressure the country faces due to its lax financial regimen.

Swiss diplomacy is already planning a campaign that would highlight the image of the country as one dedicated to international humanitarian action, for example through the Red Cross, a Swiss creation, and the government’s continued assistance for developing countries.

Guy Olivier Segond, a liberal Geneva politician, reckons that Switzerland’s chances for serving as a mediator between the countries of the industrialised North and those of the developing South are optimal because this country was never involved in “colonial ventures”.

The success of Swiss diplomacy at the UN and in the new international arena could wear down other obstacles to full integration in the global community, leading to membership in the European Union (EU) and NATO.

Nevertheless, with the celebrations of the referendum results barely over, Kaspar Villiger, president of the Helvetic Confederation, as Switzerland is also known, was quick to declare that the vote does not imply anything as regards the EU.

Blocher, an outspoken anti-Europeanist, warns that Switzerland will see an immediate offensive against its banking secrecy policy. The EU and the United States “waited politely” for the results of the referendum, he said.

But when they see that Switzerland is opening its doors and abandoning its determination to remain an independent country, they will begin their campaign in earnest, according to the industrialist.

The latest referendum on whether Switzerland should join the EU produced a “no” victory. For now, negotiations between Bern and Brussels are limited to bilateral agreements.

With respect to the UN, the organisation’s officials consulted did not hide their relief that Sunday’s vote came out in favour of membership.

For the international forum the situation had become uncomfortable, as its principal European headquarters are located in Geneva, while Switzerland has held only observer status at the UN.

With the addition of Switzerland later this year, the UN will have 190 members. The Vatican will remain as the only state with observer status.