The President of the Confederation Alain Berset admits having made a mistake in the choice of his words. He had spoken of “war frenzy in certain circles” in an interview with the “NZZ am Sonntag” about Ukraine being attacked by Russia.
Reactions showed him “that it was not the right choice of words”, he said in an interview granted Tuesday evening to the online edition of the German-speaking newspaper Tages Anzeiger. But it is clear that the response to this brutal war of aggression cannot be rearmament alone, he adds. According to him, Switzerland must precisely think in a logic of peace and diplomacy. It is the strength of the country.
“To be completely clear”, continues Alain Berset, “I am talking about a climate of pure logic of war which worries me. My intention was never to criticize certain people or certain States, but to show that there are other possibilities to support Ukraine”.
It goes without saying that Ukraine must defend itself with all its strength and support, it has “completely the right to do so in the face of Russia’s incredible aggression”, declared the President of the Confederation.
Apparently, there was also the impression that Ukraine should immediately negotiate with Russia, he explains. This is false, the conditions are not met for this, “because for this, Russia must stop the war, respect international law and human rights and leave Ukrainian territory, as the Federal Council again demanded after his last session.
Passing through the Haute Ecole de St-Gall (HSG) on Tuesday evening, Alain Berset wanted to calm the debate. He called for a “wider” vision, after having noted in the discussions on Ukraine at the international level “a logic of war”, according to an extract from his speech broadcast in the evening on the program “10vor10” of the FRS. The President of the Confederation underlined the importance of protecting the civilian population in Ukraine and carrying out mine clearance in war zones.
Mattea Meyer se distancie
Earlier, PS co-chair Mattea Meyer distanced herself from Berset’s expression of “war frenzy” in relation to the war in Ukraine and Western arms shipments.
This is the personal opinion of Mr. Berset, declared Mrs. Meyer to the news of the German-speaking Swiss television SRF. Personally and as co-chair of the party, she does not share this opinion. She also made this known to her party colleague and President of the Confederation.
Of course, the events of the war give impetus to the forces which defend the principle of a reinforcement of the army, declared Mattea Meyer. They are also trying to take advantage of the situation and defuse directives on the export of war material, she added.
The government is acting inconsistently and hiding behind neutrality, PS co-chairman Cédric Wermuth told the “NZZ” on Monday. “I share Alain Berset’s wish to put an end to the bloodshed, but I do not share his analysis or his conclusions,” the Aargau national councilor told the online edition.
For the moment, there is no prospect of negotiations. Putin has other goals, he is the only obstacle to peace, according to Wermuth.
“War Frenzy”
Alain Berset had defended this weekend the position of the Federal Council in the war in Ukraine. The government firmly refuses to authorize a re-export of Swiss ammunition by European states to Ukraine to enable it to defend itself against Russian aggression. Instead, he insists on Switzerland’s commitment to the protection of the civilian population.
Swiss weapons should not be able to be used in a war, said Alain Berset, stressing that this is the “hard core” of neutrality. And the Minister to warn against an atmosphere similar to that which reigned before the First World War. “I also feel today this warlike frenzy in certain circles. And I am very worried about it,” he said.
These statements provoked strong reactions in Switzerland and abroad. The parties, with the exception of the UDC, criticized them.
This article has been published automatically. Source: ats