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The well-known «Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung» (FAZ) comes with heavy verbal artillery against Bern. “The not-so-neutral Switzerland,” headlines one editorial. With Austria, Switzerland joins the German air defense initiative Sky Shield. Defense Minister Viola Amherd (61) signed a corresponding letter of intent in Bern on Friday. The FAZ is angry about that.
“Switzerland of all countries,” wrote the newspaper cynically, “now wants to participate in a European airspace defense project. The neutrality that has always been maintained there when it comes to military support to Ukraine does not seem to preclude cooperation with other countries when it comes to their own security. Close.”
“free driving”
Ultimately, as a non-NATO member, the country also benefits from the stability that the defense alliance guarantees in Europe, according to the FAZ. The fact that Switzerland “believes it must stay out of a fateful issue for the continent is its right as a sovereign nation-state, but has something of a freerider”.
The federal German government is warned that Switzerland does not benefit unilaterally: “In the case of air defense, one must ensure in Berlin that the cooperation is at least mutual.”
Amherd: Will decide the size for myself
Neither Switzerland nor Austria – neither of which are NATO members – see participation in the project as a sign of a departure from their neutrality. It would involve cooperation in the field of training, maintenance and logistics.
“We have set out our reservations about neutrality together with Austria in an additional statement,” Amherd said for Switzerland. This “to explicitly exclude, for example, any participation in or involvement in international military conflicts.”
Amherd emphasized at the press conference together with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (63): “We will decide for ourselves to what extent we want to participate here.” (kes)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
