Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Really impressed!

Love Swiss even more! ))



Art. 1. Terminology. Long explanation of what exactly the money is. This is the longest piece of course!


Art. 2. Terminology. Definition of weapons, explosives etc.


Art. 3. Terminology. Definition of special military goods.


Art. 4. Civil and military goods are not allowed to/from Russia, and not allowed to/from Ukraine if can be used for military purpose


Art. 5. Goods that can be used for military or technological strengthening are not allowed to/from Russia, and not allowed to/from Ukraine if can be used for military purpose.


Art. 6. Exceptions. Pretty much everything where Switzerland is stronger - for instance, pharmacy, security software etc -is excluded from the sanctions. Everything that Switzerland really needs from Russia, like tools and materials for nuclear energy, is excluded too.


Yeah... That's a real neutrality and *imitation* of sanctions. Seriously.

Fun Fact: Switzerland has "only" decided to be a member of the United Nations just 20 years ago.

Guess what's taking the Swiss so long to decide?

Well, we always voted against joining, and it was a sad day when the voted finally passed.

Tom

Sad for you but not sad for the majority of Swiss people who voted to join.

But that's democracy for you!

Well considering the level of contributions paid by Geneva and Switzerland over the past 65 odd years, it’s good that we now have a seat at the table.

Not only cash but prime real estate and interest free ‘loans’, which usually get forgiven.

It was a small majority, and it only took 50 years to pass!

Please name one positive thing about it? I'm waiting...

Tom

Really?

I suppose you could argue that setting international standards for aviation and shipping etc and so would go ahead anyway with or without Switzerland being in the UN and Switzerland would make use of those standards anyway.

But then it would look like it was Take, take, take with Switzerland and giving nothing in return.

Then there's protecting cultural heritage, womens' rights, measuring climate change and so on.

Seems like no one has yet answered the question.

If "merely agreeing" one side and taking action against another side is OK to be considered as neutral, by the same logic, Switzerland could have joined UN much much earlier and "claim" to be 100% neutral.

So why the long wait to join UN?

No idea. I'm not Swiss.

A lot of the newer UN functions affect lives globally - Climate change measuring and action, for example.

However, these sorts of aims, that do affect Switzerland) are really very recent in the history of the UN.

Lots of the older aims are probably of no use the average Swiss in the street : third world hunger, ocean management etc.

Then there are those that the Swiss feel they can sort out themselves: womens' rights (slow but they got there in the end), international crime (WIP) and so on.

If you are an affluent country, the UN is more about what you can do for others than what it can do for you and maybe that is why St2lemans is so against joining it.

Neutrality, via the NZZ:

https://www.nzz.ch/english/swiss-ban...ion-ld.1672449

Because it's a useless institution.

Tom

If you are talking about the Security Council, I couldn’t agree more.

But then there is The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Labour Organization and the Universal Postal Union, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Hardly useless.

Edited to add. Missed a few:

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) Works to improve agricultural productivity and food security, and to better the living standards of rural populations.

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) An autonomous intergovernmental organization under the aegis of the UN, it works for the safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy.

IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) Mobilizes financial resources to raise food production and nutrition levels among the poor in developing countries.

IMO (International Maritime Organization) Works to improve international shipping procedures, raise standards in marine safety and reduce marine pollution by ships.

ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Fosters international cooperation to improve telecommunications of all kinds, coordinates usage of radio and TV frequencies, promotes safety measures and conducts research.

UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)Promotes education for all, cultural development, protection of the world’s natural and cultural heritage, international cooperation in science, press freedom and communication.

UNIDO (UN Industrial Development Organization) Promotes the industrial advancement of developing countries through technical assistance, advisory services and training.

WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) Promotes international protection of intellectual property and fosters cooperation on copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs and patents.

WMO (World Meteorological Organization) Promotes scientific research on the Earth’s atmosphere and on climate change, and facilitates the global exchange of meteorological data.

WTO (World Tourism Organization) Serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.

It certainly has been with the UA situation.

Tom

Agree the Security Council is useless.

I am disappointed that China, your home country as I understand it didn't tell Russia that it wasn't ok to invade the Ukraine. If they had joined the rest the world in closing airspace for example Russia might seriously think about pulling out.

Russia knows NATO out guns them, with 30 members now belonging to the alliance that's why Putin is saying he'll go nuclear if NATO joins, because its the only option where he doesn't lose, this isn't the same fight we had in the COLD war. Russia fights NATO alone, it loses.

In the meantime the bankers in Switzerland are a very shrewd players. They see the richest countries in the world all banding together, unseen before too...in history of the world they also watching some of the largest businesses joining in as well.

Imagine they decided to do what China has, nothing. Imagine what their European neighbours would be calling for if Russia was able to continue doing business though Switzerland in their backyard. Imagine the Europeans calling to block SWIFT transactions to Switzerland. Switzerland without its financial links to the world would be in serious trouble. It would go to the dogs sooner than Russia I can assure you.

I think China wants NATO to join in, they want NATO to be distracted so that they can invade Taiwan, maybe more.. I am sure Japan is in their sights too given the history there.

China might just letting Putin fight to exhaustion and then tell him, or whoever comes after, "it's payback time". The Chinese would be bothered at all if Russia becomes a subservient oil well in the future.

So, no disappointment caused by China. If any, an acknowledgment of well-played.

You're right too, there is this angle as well.

Why are it being discussed what China should and shouldn't do?
Wasnt the thread started as what Switzerland is doing and why?

Because we still have free speech here, contrary to some other countries.

Anyone who has the luxury of thinking that the UN is useless really should count themselves as lucky.