Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg’s visit to Switzerland was postponed on Tuesday. The reason was a technical defect in the aircraft. The ÖVP politician was transferred to another plane.
A meeting with his counterpart Ignazio Cassis and a visit to the Swiss Army’s new cyber combat command are planned on site. The topic of neutrality is also central during Schallenberg’s visit following the “neutrality debate that has recently flared up in Switzerland”.
Like Austria, Switzerland wants to participate in the German air defense initiative European Sky Shield (ESSI). The government in Bern has already approved the declaration of accession to the ESSI Memorandum of Understanding. Austria and the other countries involved want to sign the declaration.
Also modern air defense topic
The importance of modern air defense must also be discussed against the backdrop of the escalation in the Middle East. Drone defense in particular has become increasingly important recently, not only in view of Iran’s attack on Israel, but also due to frequent incidents in civil aviation.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, around 50 civil aviation incidents occur every year in Austria alone, including loss of contact with pilots.
Neutrality is “nothing rigid”
Schallenberg made it clear before his departure that neutrality was “nothing rigid” for him. The minister told journalists that it was “misinterpreted” in terms of domestic policy in both Switzerland and Austria. This ‘ostrich policy of burying our heads in the sand and believing we are safe’ is not working. “We don’t want to live in a world where the law of the strongest applies.”
“Neutral is not irrelevant.” “We were never neutral in values and never neutral in opinion,” the minister referred to the Hungarian uprising of 1956. The red line is international law.
Russia also recently criticized Swiss neutrality. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Switzerland of not being neutral but hostile for supporting sanctions against Russia.
Austrians adhere to neutrality
According to a study by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Austrians see neutrality as part of the Austrian identity. This allows Austria to mediate and makes Austria attractive as a location for international organizations. 75 percent do not want to give up neutrality.
However, the majority of respondents do not believe that neutrality protects against attacks by other states. In the event of an attack, the country expects support from EU partners. In return, she doesn’t want to do anything like that. Sending troops is an option for very few people. More than two-thirds said Austria should rely on neutrality in the event of an armed attack on an EU country.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
