Foreign relations of Switzerland 27469 224113457 2008-07-07T11:05:49Z Kyle the bot 3115531 robot Modifying: [[fr:Département fédéral des Affaires étrangères]] {{Politics of Switzerland}} The '''foreign relations of Switzerland''' are the primary responsibility of the [[Federal Department of Foreign Affairs]] (FDFA). Some [[international relations]] of [[Switzerland]] are handled by other departments of the [[federal administration of Switzerland]]. ==History== The 1999 [[Constitution of Switzerland|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; *promote preservation of [[natural resources]]. These objectives reflect the Swiss moral obligation to undertake social, economic, and humanitarian activities that contribute to [[world peace]] and prosperity. This is manifested by Swiss bilateral and multilateral diplomatic activity, assistance to developing countries, and support for the extension of [[international law]], particularly [[humanitarian law]]. Traditionally, Switzerland has avoided alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action. Only in recent years have the Swiss broadened the scope of activities in which they feel able to participate without compromising their [[Neutral country|neutrality]]. Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as a [[Neutral country|neutral]] intermediary and host to major international treaty conferences. The country has no major dispute in its bilateral relations. Switzerland (mainly [[Geneva]]) is home to many international governmental and nongovernmental organisations, including the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]] (whose flag is essentially the Swiss flag with colours reversed, the Red Cross historically being a Swiss organisation). One of the first international organisations, the [[Universal Postal Union]], is located in [[Bern]]. ===United Nations=== On [[September 10]], [[2002]], Switzerland became a full member of the [[United Nations]], after a [[referendum]] supporting full membership won in a close vote six months earlier; Swiss voters had rejected membership by a 3-to-1 margin in [[1986]]. The 2002 vote made Switzerland the first country to join based on a popular vote. Prior to its formal accession to the [[United Nations]], Switzerland had maintained an observer role at the UN's [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]] and its [[UN Economic and Social Council|Economic and Social Council]]. Prior to full membership it had no right to a seat as one of the [[elected members of the UN Security Council]]. Switzerland has fully participated within many of the UN's specialised institutions, including the [[Economic Commission for Europe]], [[United Nations Environment Programme]], the [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UN High Commissioner for Refugees]], [[United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization|UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UN Conference on Trade and Development]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UN Industrial Development Organization]], and the [[Universal Postal Union]]. Switzerland has also furnished military observers and medical teams to several UN operations. Switzerland is a party to the Statute of the [[International Court of Justice]]. ====Support of UN sanctions==== 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]]/[[Montenegro]]. On [[October 15]], 2003, the [[Swiss Federal Council|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), [[Afghanistan|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 [[terrorism|terrorist]] organisation [[Al-Qaida]] as well as possible successor or supporting organisations. 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 totalling U.S.$22.6 million. ===Other international organisations=== <div style="float:left; width:60%;"> Switzerland is a member of many international organisations, including the [[World Trade Organization]], [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]], [[European Free Trade Association]], [[Council of Europe]], [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency]], and [[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization|INTELSAT]]. Its central bank is a member of the [[Bank for International Settlements]], based in [[Basel]]. 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. Although it is surrounded by member nations, Switzerland is not a member nation of the [[European Union]]. In [[1992]] Swiss voters approved membership in the [[International Monetary Fund]] and the [[World Bank Group|World Bank]], but later that year rejected the [[European Economic Area]] agreement, which the government viewed as a first step toward European Union membership. </div><div style="float:right; width:35%; margin-left: 15px; text-align: left; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; background-color:#f9f9f9; padding:5px; font-size: 80%;" class=box>(More complete list of memberships):<br> [[ACCT]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[Asian Development Bank|AsDB]], [[Australia Group]], [[Bank for International Settlements|BIS]], [[Council of Europe|CE]], [[CERN]], [[Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures|CGPM]], [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council|EAPC]], [[European Bank for Reconstruction and Development|EBRD]], [[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe|ECE]], [[European Free Trade Association|EFTA]], [[European Space Agency|ESA]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[G-10]], [[Inter-American Development Bank|IADB]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[World Bank|IBRD (World Bank)]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]], [[International Criminal Court|ICC]], [[International Civil Defence Organization|ICDO]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Committee of Military Medicine|ICMM]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Energy Agency|IEA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety|IFCS]], [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], [[International Grains Council|IGC]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[Inmarsat]], [[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization|Intelsat]], [[International Criminal Police Organization - Interpol|Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organisation for Migration|IOM]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[International Whaling Commission|IWC]], [[LAIA]] (observer), [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]] (guest), [[Nuclear Energy Agency|NEA]], [[Nuclear Suppliers Group|NSG]], [[Organization of American States|OAS]] (observer), [[OECD]], [[Office International des Epizooties|OIE]], [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]], [[Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail|OTIF]], [[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]], [[Partnership for Peace|PFP]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]], [[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|UNHCR]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[United Nations Institute for Training and Research|UNITAR]], [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina|UNMIBH]], [[United Nations Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]], [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka|UNMOP]], [[United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia|UNOMIG]], [[United Nations Truce Supervision Organization|UNTSO]], [[United Nations University|UNU]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[WCL]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]], [[Zangger Committee|ZC]]. </div><br clear="all"> ===Participation in peacekeeping=== The Swiss electorate rejected a government proposition to deploy Swiss troops as UN [[peacekeepers]] (the ''Blue Helmets'') in [[1994]]. In [[1996]] Switzerland joined [[NATO]]'s [[Partnership for Peace]], the [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council]] in [[1997]], and deployed [[Yellow Berets]] to support the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|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. ===Representation of foreign entities and in foreign disputes=== 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. Since [[1980]], Switzerland has represented [[United States|U.S.]] interests in [[Iran]]. Switzerland played a key role in brokering a truce agreement between the [[Sudan]]ese Government and [[Sudan People's Liberation Army]] for the [[Nuba Mountains]] region, signed after a week's negotiations taking place near [[Lucerne]] in January [[2002]]. Switzerland has also sent services to allied troops in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]]<ref>http://www.vtg.admin.ch/internet/groupgst/en/home/peace/peace/laufende/afghanistan/factsheet.html</ref>. ==Diplomatic representations== *Diplomatic representations of Switzerland: [http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps.html Official list] *Diplomatic representations in Switzerland: [http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps/forrep.html Official list] ==Disputes - international== Switzerland has no international disputes. Because of its fiercely neutral status, it has abstained from most international conflicts. ==See also== * [[Politics of Switzerland]] * [[Diplomatic missions of Switzerland]] * [[Switzerland and the European Union]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs]. *[http://www.dodis.ch/ Swiss Diplomatic Documents (DDS)] *[http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/topics/intorg/un.html Switzerland and the United Nations] {{Foreign relations of Switzerland}} {{Foreign relations of Europe}} [[Category:Foreign relations by country|Switzerland]] [[Category:Foreign relations of Switzerland|*]] [[Category:Government of Switzerland]] [[Category:Politics of Switzerland]] [[als:Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten]] [[de:Eidgenössisches Departement für auswärtige Angelegenheiten]] [[fr:Département fédéral des Affaires étrangères]] [[it:Dipartimento federale degli affari esteri]] [[nl:Departement van Buitenlandse Zaken (Zwitserland)]]