In an unprecedented move, Switzerland has decided to contribute armed military police to the multi-national force deployed in Kosovo.

In an unprecedented move, Switzerland has decided to contribute armed military police to the multi-national force deployed in Kosovo.

Following a request for police support by KFOR commanders, the Swiss government Friday gave the green light for four policemen to join a German contingent carrying out police work in the war-torn Serb province.

The Swiss soldiers, armed with handguns and machine guns, will remain under the command of the 141-strong SWISSCOY contingent, which is serving with an Austrian KFOR unit in the region.

The decision is unprecedented since armed military service abroad is banned under the Swiss constitution.

On Wednesday, the government presented draft amendments that would allow armed peace missions, but no combat role, for Swiss military units abroad.

A right-wing nationalist group has strongly criticised the proposal and announced it will force a national vote on the issue. The group says such missions violate Swiss neutrality.

A defence ministry spokesman said Friday that the government’s decision was not violating Swiss neutrality since the four policemen were not under direct KFOR command.

Switzerland is not a member of NATO or the United Nations but has contributed regularly to international U.N. peace missions. Switzerland previously only approved unarmed civilian police in various crisis spots.

Defence Minister Adolf Ogi again underlined that Switzerland has to live up to its international responsibilities, and that the Kosovo missions are fully in line with the government’s “Security through Cooperation” security policy.


From staff and wire reports.

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