Swiss voters approved joining the United Nations on Sunday, finding
the prospect of a greater role in today's interlinked world more
compelling than fears that it would threaten the nation's
centuries-old tradition of neutrality.
The country, which has been formally neutral for almost 200 years,
will become the United Nations' 190th member. Only the Vatican
remains outside the world body.
During the Cold War, Switzerland feared UN membership would sweep
it into the battles between East and West. More recently, opponents
have feared having to submit to the political dictates of the
Security Council.
The Swiss have practiced forms of neutrality on and off since the
13th century, but the principle was laid down formally in the 1815
Treaty of Paris that ended the Napoleonic Wars. In that pact,
European powers guaranteed the "perpetual neutrality" of
Switzerland.
The Swiss themselves made it part of their 1848 constitution.
Treating both sides in a war evenhandedly has remained a guiding
principle since, although recent historical reviews have said
Switzerland went too far in helping the Germans in World War
II.
The popular vote gave the bid for UN membership a comfortable 55-45%
approval, but the crucial second hurdle - approval by at least half
the country's cantons, or states - received a much narrower 12-11
result.
The referendum had the highest turnout in a decade, with 58% of
qualified voters participating. Switzerland's three or four annual
referendums often draw only 40-50% of voters.
Small mountain cantons - most of them German-speaking - voted
heavily against the United Nations. But the French-speaking cantons
of the west and key German-speaking cantons of central Switzerland
prevailed with their yes vote.
It
was a sharp reversal of a similar Swiss vote in 1986, when 75%
rejected UN membership, backing opponents who said East-West
polarization would compromise Swiss neutrality.
The government pushed the latest initiative, believing that the
political climate has changed since the height of the Cold War and
that it was time for the 7 million Swiss to play a full role in the
world.
Billionaire industrialist Christoph Blocher - a nationalist
politician who led the opposition this time - said he "deeply
regretted" the outcome.
"It will lead to the weakening of Switzerland," Blocher said.
"Freedom and the rights of the people will be limited, and
neutrality will at the very least be deeply damaged."
Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss assured voters, "Switzerland remains
neutral."
The seven-member governing Cabinet, which had campaigned hard for
approval, expressed relief at the outcome.
"Everyone stands to gain from this," a government statement said.
"Switzerland will now be better able to safeguard its interests and
assume its responsibilities in the world."
Swiss industry and banks had feared a no vote would make
Switzerland an international outcast with a selfish and uncaring
reputation.
"Today is a great day for Switzerland," said Deiss.
However, President Kaspar Villiger said he was concerned that the
cantonal vote was so close and said it indicated a "malaise" that
had to be studied and taken seriously.
Switzerland has not moved to join any military alliance, such as
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But the government does
have a longer-term goal of joining the European Union, which is
expected to encounter even tougher resistance.
Deiss said the UN vote had "nothing to do with entry into the
UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who also had urged Swiss voters to
approve membership, welcomed the vote and said it took the United
Nations closer to universality.
The referendum recalled Switzerland's vote to join the United
Nations' forerunner, the League of Nations, in 1920. Switzerland
became a member, but the league was seen as largely ineffectual -
in part because the United States stayed out.
Nationwide, 1,489,062 people voted in favor, compared with
1,237,725 against.
Switzerland has long been a dues-paying member of some UN
specialized agencies like the World Health Organization and the
International Labor Organization. And recently it has been stepping
up its contributions to peacekeeping operations.
The nationalists plastered the country with posters calling UN
membership a waste of money.
The government says membership should cost US$42 million a year,
but dismisses that amount as minimal in comparison with the US$1.8
billion a year brought to Switzerland annually by the presence of
the United Nations' European headquarters in Geneva.
(China Daily March 4,
2002)