Switzerland at War with Herself
It is interesting to observe - as Osservatore Profano does - the war (so far of words) which has erupted in Switzerland about the role of our country in international relations. While Switzerland appears to be a point of reference for many smaller countries even in the third world, our country has yet to find out a) if our active contributions to world politics are really significant and b) which fields of activity we choose. Justice minister Blocher's adventurous remarks on visit to Turkey have been followed by a visit of foreign minister Calmy-Rey to China, with the intention to sign an accord of understanding, the success of which had been questioned by her colleagues even before she departed and again at her return. Now, a group of mainly left-wing politicians from Basel has come to the conclusion that it is capable of bringing the conflict between Turks and Kurds to an end. At the same time, an ecological activist, Martin Vosseler, tries to cross the Atlantic on a solar-powered Catamaran, firmly convinced that he is the one and only person capable of teaching ecological ethics to the United States.
If the Swiss pharmaceutical industry has proved to be good at manufacturing and selling drugs worldwide, a new form of global business is being launched by Swiss citizens who feel the urgent need to preach the gospel of righteousness worldwide. The conflict between these two types of global players is then projected on the local level of politics, resulting in bizarre "ready made" coalitions and fissures within the political spectrum.