Switzerland upholds neutrality, rejects US military overflight requests amid Middle East conflict
For the first time since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, Switzerland announced on Saturday that it had rejected two requests from the United States to overfly Swiss territory, citing its “right to neutrality.” According to a government statement, the requests involved reconnaissance aircraft scheduled to cross Swiss airspace on March 15.
Neutrality in practice
The Swiss government clarified that while it denied these military overflights, it approved certain other flights, such as maintenance-related operations. The decision reflects Switzerland’s longstanding neutral stance, which has been officially recognized internationally since 1815.
Swiss authorities emphasized that neutrality prohibits military overflights by parties involved in a conflict if the flights relate to that conflict. Humanitarian or medical flights, including the transport of the wounded, and other overflights unrelated to the conflict are still permitted.
By rejecting the requests, Switzerland reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining its armed and permanent neutrality, freely chosen and respected by the international community for over two centuries.
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