The Bundesrat also does not want to know about the latest attempt

No, no, and again no. The Federal Council wants nothing to do with Switzerland’s latest attempt to allow other states to transfer Swiss-made weapons to Ukraine.

In the security policy Commission of the National Council (SiK-N) FDP and SP had along with GLP and in the middle of Tuesday to a compromise. With the parliamentary initiative, the Bundesrat should exceptionally be able to limit a non-re-export declaration to five years for specific countries.

The Commission proposes a period of 5 years

The transfer of arms to a country at war such as present-day Ukraine would be possible if this country exercised its right of self-defense under international law. The UN Security Council or the UN General Assembly would have to declare a war of aggression illegal under international law by a two-thirds majority.

The amendment would also apply retroactively. Non-re-export declarations signed more than five years before their entry into force could be revoked by the Federal Council at the request of a foreign government.

Warring parties must treated the same become

But the Federal Council wants nothing to do with it. Although there is a total lack of understanding abroad that Switzerland prohibits other countries from passing on war material for reasons of neutrality.

In its written response to the request, the government refers to the Hague Convention of 1907. According to this convention, according to the law of neutrality, no war material may be delivered to third countries with the intention of forwarding it to a particular warring party. The Bundesrat emphasizes that the principle of equal treatment also applies here: “If the Bundesrat were to agree to the re-export of war material to Ukraine, requests for the transfer of war material to Russia would also have to be approved.”

Same rules for direct and indirect deliveries

The non-re-export declaration serves the same purpose as the War Materials Act, with which the legislator wants to prevent war materials originating from Switzerland from being exported to conflict zones or appearing there. Therefore, the Federal Council assesses applications for the transfer of Swiss weapons on the same criteria as an export of war material from Switzerland, namely rejection.

The compromise proposal of the SiK-N Nothing. Empower the UN Security Council namely military measures, which are binding under international law and the right of neutrality does not apply today. The Federal Council notes that no such resolution has been adopted for the conflict in Ukraine. This is not surprising given that Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. And resolutions of the General Assembly are not binding under international law.

The Bundesrat therefore still sees its hands tied. Official Switzerland therefore wants to continue to refuse the transfer of weapons from domestic production.

Source:Blick