Swiss asked for military officer for Sudan

BERN, Switzerland, May 07, 2004 (UPI) — The United Nations has requested an officer from historically neutral Switzerland for peacekeeping work in Sudan, Swiss newspaper Der Bund reports.

Switzerland has pursued a policy of careful neutrality in the past, but has moved closer to the international community recently, joining the United Nations in 2002.

Der Bund reported Friday that Switzerland was asked in early 2004 to contribute an officer to the U.N. Chief Joint Mission Analysis Cell, a public relations post, in Sudan.

Switzerland has not yet agreed to the unprecedented request, but has not refused.

Swiss law would allow a Swiss officer to serve if a there were a U.N. mandate for a peacekeeping operation. That is not yet the case in Sudan, but may be in the future.

Sending the officer — who would not be armed — would require the approval of the Swiss cabinet, but not the parliament.