Libya–Switzerland relations
Encyclopedia
Switzerland
has entertained formal relations with Libya
's Transitional National Council since 12 June 2011, dispatching an official envoy to Benghazi to "intensify its political relations with the Libyan National Transitional Council" and "signal its intent to strengthen its presence there".
Switzerland did not explicitly recognise the NTC, however it did state that "until the establishment of a legally elected government, the Transitional Council in Benghazi is the only legitimate partner of Switzerland in Libya". Previously, relations with Gaddafi had already been cut long before, and there had been humanitarian aid coordinated with the NTC for four months.
On 22 August, while addressing a conference in Lucerne
, Swiss Federal President Micheline Calmy-Rey
confirmed that Switzerland has not recognised the NTC because the Swiss government's policy is to recognise states and not governments, but it will continue to deal exclusively with the NTC as its partner in Libya until the election of a new government.
Historically, there was a Swiss embassy in Tripoli
, while Libya maintained an embassy in Bern.
Switzerland has entertained friendly relations with Libya under Gaddafi before the 2000s, Libyan businessmen established bank accounts in Switzerland and trade increased. Libya supplied oil to Switzerland despite the 1982 embargo on Libyan petrol.
There was a diplomatic dispute between Switzerland and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya during 2008 to 2010, arising from the arrest of Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
's son and daughter-in-law while in Switzerland.
Muammar al-Gaddafi retaliated against Switzerland "by shutting down local subsidiaries of Swiss companies Nestlé
and ABB in Libya, arresting two Swiss businessmen for supposed visa irregularities, canceling most commercial flights between the two countries and withdrawing about $5 billion from his Swiss bank accounts".
To attempt to ease the tension between the countries and get the release of the two Swiss businessmen, Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz
went to Tripoli in August 2009 to apologize for the arrests. This was criticized by the Swiss press and public, with numerous calls for his resignation.
At the 35th G8 summit
, Gaddafi publicly called for the dissolution of Switzerland, its territory to be divided among France, Italy and Germany.
In August 2009, Hannibal Gaddafi stated that if he had nuclear weapons, he would "wipe Switzerland off the map".
In February 2010, Gaddafi called for an all-out Jihad
against Switzerland in a speech held in Benghazi
on the occasion of Mawlid
. Gaddafi in reference to the Swiss ban on minarets described Switzerland as an "infidel
harlot" and apostate
. He called for a "jihad by all means", defining jihad as "a right to armed struggle", which he claimed should not be considered terrorism
.
On 18 September 2009, the Libyan authorities moved the two Swiss businessmen, Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani (the latter holding Tunisian-Swiss dual citizenship), from the Swiss embassy in Tripoli to an undisclosed location. In response, on 4 November Switzerland said it was suspending an agreement to normalize relations with Libya and five days later the Libyan government handed the men back to the embassy.
On 12 November 2009 Libyan prosecutors charged them with visa irregularities, tax evasion and failing to respect rules governing companies working in Libya. On 30 November a Libyan court sentenced each of them to 16-month jail terms. The two men were also fined 2,000 Libyan dinars (USD 1,671) each. The Libyan government said the business men's case and that of Hannibal Gaddafi are not linked.
In February 2010, Hamdani's sentence was overturned by a Libyan appeal court, while Göldi's sentence was reduced to four months.
On 22 February, Libyan authorities demanded the surrender of Göldi. Police surrounded the Swiss embassy and threatened to raid the building. A number of EU ambassadors entered the Swiss embassy to demonstrate solidarity with Switzerland.
Göldi ultimately surrendered to the Libyan police and was taken into custody. Hamdani was allowed to leave Libya and returned to Switzerland on 24 February. Göldi served his four-month prison sentence and was allowed to return home on 13 June 2010.
The Swiss government confirmed that plans for a rescue operation by Swiss military for the two hostages had been made.
In February 2010, the dispute with Switzerland spread, with Libya refusing to issue entry visas to nationals of any of the countries within the Schengen agreement
, of which Switzerland is a part. This action was apparently taken in retaliation for Switzerland blacklisting 188 high ranking officials from Libya by adding them to the Schengen Area visa blacklist, a move supported by some Schengen countries, but criticised by Italy as an abuse of the system. Italy is concerned about the effect this could have on its own diplomatic relationship with Libya, and especially on their combined efforts to stop illegal immigration from Africa into Europe. There has been no official confirmation from Libya itself, as to why they have taken this action. As a result of the ban foreign nationals from certain countries were not permitted entry into Libya at Tripoli airport
, including eight Maltese
citizens, one of whom was forced to wait for 20 hours before he was able to return home. In response, the European Commission criticised the actions, describing them as 'disproportionate', although no immediate 'tit-for-tat' response was announced.
Trade between the two nations suffered as a result of the diplomatic dispute, dropping nearly 40 per cent during the first eight months of 2009. Traditionally, Switzerland ships pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment, and watch
es to Libya in return for petroleum
. Following the Swiss ban on Minarets, Libyan government spokesperson Mohammed Baayou stated that Libya had imposed a "total" economic embargo on Switzerland, stating that the country would adopt alternative sources for products originally imported from Switzerland.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
has entertained formal relations with Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
's Transitional National Council since 12 June 2011, dispatching an official envoy to Benghazi to "intensify its political relations with the Libyan National Transitional Council" and "signal its intent to strengthen its presence there".
Switzerland did not explicitly recognise the NTC, however it did state that "until the establishment of a legally elected government, the Transitional Council in Benghazi is the only legitimate partner of Switzerland in Libya". Previously, relations with Gaddafi had already been cut long before, and there had been humanitarian aid coordinated with the NTC for four months.
On 22 August, while addressing a conference in Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, Swiss Federal President Micheline Calmy-Rey
Micheline Calmy-Rey
Micheline Anne-Marie Calmy-Rey is the President of the Confederation in Switzerland, head of government. She is also Switzerland's foreign minister as head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. She has been a member of the Swiss Federal Council since 2003, and was President of the...
confirmed that Switzerland has not recognised the NTC because the Swiss government's policy is to recognise states and not governments, but it will continue to deal exclusively with the NTC as its partner in Libya until the election of a new government.
Historically, there was a Swiss embassy in Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, while Libya maintained an embassy in Bern.
Switzerland has entertained friendly relations with Libya under Gaddafi before the 2000s, Libyan businessmen established bank accounts in Switzerland and trade increased. Libya supplied oil to Switzerland despite the 1982 embargo on Libyan petrol.
There was a diplomatic dispute between Switzerland and the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya during 2008 to 2010, arising from the arrest of Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
's son and daughter-in-law while in Switzerland.
Diplomatic crisis of 2008-2010
Relations between the states began to sour in July 2008 when Switzerland arrested the Libyan leader's son, Hannibal Gaddafi, and daughter-in-law for allegedly beating their servants at a hotel. The two were detained for two days and released.Muammar al-Gaddafi retaliated against Switzerland "by shutting down local subsidiaries of Swiss companies Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
and ABB in Libya, arresting two Swiss businessmen for supposed visa irregularities, canceling most commercial flights between the two countries and withdrawing about $5 billion from his Swiss bank accounts".
To attempt to ease the tension between the countries and get the release of the two Swiss businessmen, Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz
Hans-Rudolf Merz
Hans-Rudolf Merz is a Swiss politician of FDP.The Liberals and member of the Swiss Federal Council . He is the head of the Federal Department of Finance and President of the Swiss Confederation for 2009...
went to Tripoli in August 2009 to apologize for the arrests. This was criticized by the Swiss press and public, with numerous calls for his resignation.
At the 35th G8 summit
35th G8 summit
The 35th G8 summit took place in the city of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, on July 8–10, 2009. It was moved from the Sardinian seaside city of La Maddalena as part of an attempt to redistribute disaster funds after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake.....
, Gaddafi publicly called for the dissolution of Switzerland, its territory to be divided among France, Italy and Germany.
In August 2009, Hannibal Gaddafi stated that if he had nuclear weapons, he would "wipe Switzerland off the map".
In February 2010, Gaddafi called for an all-out Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
against Switzerland in a speech held in Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
on the occasion of Mawlid
Mawlid
Mawlid or sometimes ميلاد , mīlād is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal,...
. Gaddafi in reference to the Swiss ban on minarets described Switzerland as an "infidel
Kafir
Kafir is an Arabic term used in a Islamic doctrinal sense, usually translated as "unbeliever" or "disbeliever"...
harlot" and apostate
Apostasy in Islam
Apostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...
. He called for a "jihad by all means", defining jihad as "a right to armed struggle", which he claimed should not be considered terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
.
On 18 September 2009, the Libyan authorities moved the two Swiss businessmen, Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani (the latter holding Tunisian-Swiss dual citizenship), from the Swiss embassy in Tripoli to an undisclosed location. In response, on 4 November Switzerland said it was suspending an agreement to normalize relations with Libya and five days later the Libyan government handed the men back to the embassy.
On 12 November 2009 Libyan prosecutors charged them with visa irregularities, tax evasion and failing to respect rules governing companies working in Libya. On 30 November a Libyan court sentenced each of them to 16-month jail terms. The two men were also fined 2,000 Libyan dinars (USD 1,671) each. The Libyan government said the business men's case and that of Hannibal Gaddafi are not linked.
In February 2010, Hamdani's sentence was overturned by a Libyan appeal court, while Göldi's sentence was reduced to four months.
On 22 February, Libyan authorities demanded the surrender of Göldi. Police surrounded the Swiss embassy and threatened to raid the building. A number of EU ambassadors entered the Swiss embassy to demonstrate solidarity with Switzerland.
Göldi ultimately surrendered to the Libyan police and was taken into custody. Hamdani was allowed to leave Libya and returned to Switzerland on 24 February. Göldi served his four-month prison sentence and was allowed to return home on 13 June 2010.
The Swiss government confirmed that plans for a rescue operation by Swiss military for the two hostages had been made.
In February 2010, the dispute with Switzerland spread, with Libya refusing to issue entry visas to nationals of any of the countries within the Schengen agreement
Schengen Agreement
The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later...
, of which Switzerland is a part. This action was apparently taken in retaliation for Switzerland blacklisting 188 high ranking officials from Libya by adding them to the Schengen Area visa blacklist, a move supported by some Schengen countries, but criticised by Italy as an abuse of the system. Italy is concerned about the effect this could have on its own diplomatic relationship with Libya, and especially on their combined efforts to stop illegal immigration from Africa into Europe. There has been no official confirmation from Libya itself, as to why they have taken this action. As a result of the ban foreign nationals from certain countries were not permitted entry into Libya at Tripoli airport
Tripoli International Airport
The Tripoli International Airport is an international airport that serves Tripoli, Libya. It is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of Libya and is the nation's largest airport...
, including eight Maltese
Maltese people
The Maltese are an ethnic group indigenous to the Southern European nation of Malta, and identified with the Maltese language. Malta is an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea...
citizens, one of whom was forced to wait for 20 hours before he was able to return home. In response, the European Commission criticised the actions, describing them as 'disproportionate', although no immediate 'tit-for-tat' response was announced.
Trade between the two nations suffered as a result of the diplomatic dispute, dropping nearly 40 per cent during the first eight months of 2009. Traditionally, Switzerland ships pharmaceuticals, industrial equipment, and watch
Watch
A watch is a small timepiece, typically worn either on the wrist or attached on a chain and carried in a pocket, with wristwatches being the most common type of watch used today. They evolved in the 17th century from spring powered clocks, which appeared in the 15th century. The first watches were...
es to Libya in return for petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
. Following the Swiss ban on Minarets, Libyan government spokesperson Mohammed Baayou stated that Libya had imposed a "total" economic embargo on Switzerland, stating that the country would adopt alternative sources for products originally imported from Switzerland.