Turkey removes barrier to Swiss arms imports
Switzerland is expected to begin selling arms to Turkey again for the first time since it introduced tight restrictions on exports to the country in 1992.
The Turkish government on Thursday ended its boycott of Swiss arms, one month after Switzerland lifted its embargo.
The Swiss government introduced the restrictions in 1992 at the height of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. Since then, the authorities have only approved the export of handguns and rifles designed for self-defence or sport.
When it lifted the restrictions last month, the Swiss authorities said the situation in Turkey had improved significantly, particularly at the institutional level, and that the move was in line with the European Union’s policy towards Ankara.
The foreign ministry welcomed Turkey’s announcement on Thursday, which paves the way for Switzerland to bid for lucrative defence contracts with the Turkish army.
EU states have already begun selling arms to Turkey again, approving €780 million of weapons exports to Turkey in 2003.
Divergent opinions
The Swiss foreign ministry said Ankara was showing “an open spirit and great tolerance for the divergent opinions of other states”.
A visit to Turkey at the end of March by the foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, was also key to improving bilateral ties.
Calmy-Rey discussed economic relations, human rights and the Armenian question with Turkish leaders.
Relations soured two years ago when the parliament in the Swiss canton of Vaud voted to recognise the massacre of Armenians in 1915 as genocide.
According to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper, Austria and Sweden were also removed from the Turkish government’s “red list”.
The newspaper said it was a necessary step for Turkey since it has opened talks with Brussels on EU membership.
swissinfo with agencies
Switzerland exported SFr402 million ($337 million) of arms in 2004.
That accounted for 0.27% of total Swiss exports.
Total exports to Turkey last year were SFr1.9 billion.
The largest buyers of Swiss arms in 2004 were Germany, Botswana, Spain, Ireland and the United States.
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