Swiss neutrality in world affairs again attractive: Envoy

Switzerland’s traditional foreign policy of neutrality has become attractive again because of the changing political reality in the world, said its Ambassador Dr. Ralf Heckner at a think tank event on Saturday. Ambassador Heckner said neutrality has become necessary as a foreign policy tool as the phase of power politics has returned in the world affairs. “Switzerland’s neutrality has to serve a purpose. The purpose of neutrality to the global powers was maintained also after 1945. After 1991, at the end of the Cold War, neutrality was not very much in demand. There was a moment of unipolar world and that can explain it. Now with big power politics, Switzerland’s neutrality and Switzerland as a place to meet is much more attractive again,” said Mr. Heckner at an online discussion organised by Asian Pathfinders, an open knowledge sharing platform for policy planners and academics.