If it keeps its distance from conflicts, Switzerland is never far from peace discussions. The country welcomed the Iranian and American delegations, as well as those of Qatar and Pakistan, for the first discussions which were held during the night of Sunday to Monday June 22. The representatives of these countries agreed to reach “a final agreement within sixty days”, according to the Pakistani and Qatari mediators.
The talks took place in a luxury hotel in Bürgenstock, on the heights overlooking Lake Lucerne. During these first negotiations, the two sides discussed securing the Strait of Hormuz, how to integrate Lebanon into the ceasefire process, as well as lifting the blockade on oil exports.
The choice of Switzerland to host such an event is symbolic. Geneva is home to many UN agencies, including the European headquarters of the United Nations. Above all, this small landlocked country is recognized for its neutrality, which makes it a particularly favorable terrain for negotiations: the host state is not supposed to favor one of the camps.
Once a warlike country
However, this posture of neutrality is not obvious in the light of Swiss history. It is more of a survival strategy than a pacifist ideal. In the Middle Ages, the Swiss cantons even regularly waged wars against their neighbors and had acquired a solid reputation as feared fighters on the battlefields of Europe.
A turning point came in 1515, with the battle of Marignano. Swiss troops faced the forces of King Francis I near Milan and suffered a defeat with serious consequences. This failure marks the beginning of a gradual abandonment of their military ambitions. The following year, a “perpetual peace” was concluded with France.
During the Thirty Years’ War, from 1618, the Swiss cantons, although members of the Holy Roman Empire, remained aloof from the conflict which ravaged Europe. They note that the distance from major European wars can constitute a strategic advantage. During the Westphalia Accords in 1648, their autonomy was officially recognized by the European powers, reinforcing their freedom not to intervene in conflicts.
This independence was, however, called into question following the French Revolution and the campaigns of Napoleon Bonaparte, which temporarily placed Switzerland under French influence. It was not until the Congress of Vienna in 1815 that the European powers redraw the map of the continent and designate Switzerland as a buffer zone between France, Austria and the German states. Its “perpetual neutrality” is then officially recognized.
Still a Swiss army
Since this date, Switzerland has refrained from participating in armed conflicts and refused any military alliance. In 1907, it adhered to the Hague Conventions, which defined the rights and duties of neutral states in times of war. During the two world wars, the Swiss Confederation managed to preserve its neutrality despite an unstable European environment.
However, this posture of non-intervention does not mean a withdrawal from global cooperation and security. Since the end of the Cold War, Switzerland has participated in certain international sanctions. It has an army based on conscription and has already engaged soldiers in peacekeeping missions, notably in Kosovo in 1999. It became a full member of the UN in 2002.
The Swiss military presence is even found in the heart of the Vatican. The Pontifical Swiss Guard, responsible for protecting the Pope and his residence, is composed exclusively of Catholic Swiss citizens who have completed their military service in the Swiss army. This Swiss presence up to the Holy See recalls a paradox assumed by Switzerland: its neutrality does not mean the absence of commitment.
