The top diplomat explained that neutrality implies non-interference in military conflicts outside the country, however it does not exclude participation in humanitarian and peacekeeping missions, such as the one in Kosovo.
“Switzerland has undertaken commitments in three areas: in Syria — pursuing the policy of peace and security, in Iran – protecting the Power mandate between Iran and the US and in Iraq – pursuing a mostly humanitarian mission,” Yves Rossier told Sputnik.
In Iraq
In April, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs was on an official visit to the Republic of Iraq, where he visited the cities of Baghdad, Najaf, the most revered city among Shias after Mecca and Medina, and Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
“In the refugee camps in Kurdistan we restore the ties and communication which have been lost during the years of conflict,” the top diplomat explained.
In Iran
With regards to Iran, Switzerland protects the Power mandate between Iran and the US. This diplomatic term refers to a relationship that is initiated when a country is not diplomatically represented in another state. So Switzerland serves as a third party state, protecting US interests in Iran.
“The dialogue we are having with Iran is not limited only to finances,” Yves Rossier explained, “It also includes human rights, regional security and politics.”
The top diplomat stressed that when the Iran nuclear agreement came into force, the majority of the nuclear-related anti-Iranian sanctions imposed by the UN and EU were lifted.
However, due to its absence on financial markets, Tehran lags behind in terms of finance and technology, especially with respect to the country’s internal infrastructure.
Over the last 20 years the international norms adopted by financial markets have changed considerably and thus Iran lags 20 years behind due to the sanctions.
“So it is mostly about technical and technological support to assist Iran get back to the international financial markets,” the diplomat explained.
In Syria
With regards to its activity in Syria, the State Secretary said that there, Switzerland is pursuing its largest humanitarian operation since the Second World War.
Bern maximally supports the activities of Staffan de Mistura, an Italian-Swedish diplomat and the UN special envoy to Syria, especially with respect to work on the Geneva negotiations, which are aimed at finding a solution to the Syrian conflict.
Rossier noted that there should not only be a military solution, and that there is an issue of justice – there is no stable peace without justice. It means that the people who have committed crimes against humanity must be held to account.
“One can’t turn the page [and overcome] his past without imposing justice,” he said.
It is aimed at the settlement of some trivial issues such as visa issuance to humanitarian workers, the terms of cooperation with Syrian scientific and research organizations, access rights: there are territories under government control and under the control of the rebels.
All the above is aimed at improving the work of humanitarian organizations, and the negotiations are far from simple and easy, he added.
“The political solution is up to Staffan de Mistura and the Syrian Support Groups, such as the one of Russia and the US, and the one of Switzerland, first and foremost, come in support of de Mistura’s team – logistically, technically, expertly, etc.,” the diplomat concluded.
