” “Yes to the United Nations” “

Swiss citizens, by a narrow majority (54.6 %), said “yes” to the country’s membership of the United Nations. The majority of those who voted “no” in the referendum held on 3 March were concentrated in the German-language cantons and in the Ticino. By contrast, the favourable vote of the French-speaking cantons was compact, and determined the victory of the “yes” vote. The churches, both Catholic and Protestant, say they are “relieved and satisfied by the decision of the Swiss people”. Already in January this year, in fact, the Swiss churches had declared their support for membership (cf. Sir Europe no. 2/2002). “Although imperfect – they declared in a joint document entitled ‘The Churches and the United Nations’ – the UNO is today the most suitable instrument to maintain and build world peace, promote justice among the peoples and find solutions to the problems of humanity”. The previous referendum on membership, held in 1986, ended with a clear victory for the anti-UN vote. “The Christian commitment to justice, peace and the safeguard of the creation is also reflected in the objectives of the UN”, the Swiss Churches continue. “A large part of the problems we encounter today have a global dimension and are tackled by the United Nations. Switzerland’s foreign policy puts the emphasis on human rights and the humanitarian effort. UN membership will reinforce the influence of our country in this field”. Nonetheless, in the view of the Federation of the Protestant Churches and of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference, “it will be important – in the field of future collaboration with the UN – to take account of the concerns and doubts of those who voted “no” on 3 March. The two Churches expect from Switzerland a commitment to ensure that the voice of the smallest countries be heard and given its rightful consideration in the international context”. The Federal Council intends to present Switzerland’s application for UN membership as soon as possible so that the General Assembly may vote on it in its annual session in September. If the application is accepted, the Swiss Confederation will be the 190th country in the world to become a member of the UN. In spite of the fact that Switzerland has so far not been a member, it has hitherto played an active role in the funding of the organization, contributing a sum of 470 million francs per year. Following membership it will have to pay some 70 million francs more. Moreover, Switzerland has long been a member of the UN’s subsidiary organizations and specialized institutions such as the United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Organization for Intellectual Property (WOIP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Labour Organization (WLO). It has ratified numerous international Treaties and various protocols relating to them, such as the International Conventions for children, women, against torture, against racial discrimination, on civil and political rights or on economic, social and cultural rights. Geneva is the second most important city in the world as the seat of UN-dependent international organizations, after New York. Though politically neutral, Swizerland has since 1990 applied the political and economic sanctions adopted by the UN against countries like Angola, Iraq and Afganistan. Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, commented with satisfaction on the results of the referendum: Switzerland – he said – is an example of what the UNO aspires to be: “A tolerant, peaceful and multicultural society, based on democratic values”. In the view of Msgr. Diarmuid Martin, permanent observer of the Holy See to the Office of the United Nations and the specialized institutions in Geneva, “we are moving towards a greater universality within the United Nations. We will see it expressed in the General Assembly in the autumn, when Switzerland will enter the UN together with another country, it too important: East Timor”. I.C.