I just read an article on the WOZ frontpage by Josef Lang, national counselor for the Alternative party in Zug, representative of the Green fraction in the security commission:
1. 2005-05-25 the Swiss goverment published an arms deal with Israel worth CHF 150M – no more factual embargo, no more support for the peace initiative of foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey
2. 2005-05-27 the Swiss UN ambassador Peter Maurer demands a change in the Kosovo conflict in front of the security council – no longer supporting the UNO and EU position but asking for a clarification of the status even though the current government cannot guarantee minimal standards towards minorities etc. A position the USA has been supporting all along, the newspaper claims.
3. 2005-06-29 the Swiss government authorized the sale of 180 armored tracked vehicles to Iraq, 736 personnel carriers to Pakistan, a license to build anti-aircraft guns for India, and South Korea may overhaul up to 100 warheads for air-air missiles in Switzerland.
4. 2004-03-23 the Swiss goverment had refused dealing in arms with these countries.
What gives?
It seems that the improved relations with the USA were an important argument in favor of these deals when economy minister Joseph Deiss put forward his motion.
#Switzerland