Swiss president insists on honoring arms deals amid US delays
Parmelin said Switzerland expects suppliers to meet contracts, citing Patriot delays of five to seven years and more than 1 billion Swiss francs paid in advance.
Arms contracts must be honored despite lengthy US delivery delays, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said on Monday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking at a press briefing for foreign journalists in Bern, Parmelin said Switzerland's defense purchases from the United States usually run through the American government rather than directly through manufacturers, which he said complicates the process.
He said Switzerland expects suppliers to meet their obligations, pointing to delays affecting the Patriot air defense system.
Asked whether the delays signaled a loss of confidence in Washington, Parmelin did not confirm such a shift, saying trust had not necessarily disappeared.
"This is something extremely delicate" when it comes to national security, he said, referring to equipment facing waits of five to seven years.
Parmelin said Switzerland, as a neutral country outside military alliances, must strengthen its domestic defense industry and logistics, diversify its arms purchases and expand cooperation with neighboring European countries, while respecting its neutrality obligations under the Hague Conventions.
"These contracts must be respected," he said, adding that Switzerland holds commitments and contracts with several countries for arms purchases.
In late October, Switzerland said it was considering buying military equipment directly from US defense companies instead of relying on Washington as an intermediary.
Under the US Foreign Military Sales program, Switzerland buys American equipment through the US government, which leaves buyers with limited options for resolving pricing disputes or seeking compensation for late deliveries.
Urs Loher, head of the Federal Office for Defense Procurement, known as Armasuisse, told the Swiss daily Neue Zurcher Zeitung that some Patriot components might be bought directly from manufacturers, but advanced fighter jets such as the F-35 could not be acquired that way.
Switzerland has already paid more than 1 billion Swiss francs, or over $1.2 billion, in advance for the Patriot systems, while Washington is prioritizing deliveries to Germany.
Swiss authorities have also assessed an alternative air defense system, and the Federal Council is expected to make the final decision.
