Switzerland Freezes Armored Vehicle Deal with Iraq

[leftchick]

Switzerland Freezes Armored Vehicle Deal with Iraq
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BERN


Switzerland said Aug. 15 that it would freeze a deal to send armored personnel carriers to Iraq until Baghdad guaranteed that the vehicles would not be used in combat operations.

Economics Minister Joseph Deiss has ordered his staff to ensure that the 180 APCs will only be used for “police services, border protection and transport of material” before giving approval for the sale, a ministry spokesman said.

The announcement in June that Switzerland planned to offload 180 of its U.S.-made M113 vehicles to the United Arab Emirates provoked controversy.



Under the deal, the UAE was then to donate the Swiss Army surplus hardware to Iraq.

Critics across the Swiss political spectrum said this would breach the country’s longstanding tradition of neutrality, as well as legislation barring the export of military material to conflict zones.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1034590&C=landwar

[Greeby]

1. Switzerland is only neutral

Is because every time there's a war, both sides stash their loot there