DDPS and Israel sign declaration of intent
Bern, 24.01.2013 - Federal President Ueli Maurer, Head of the Federal Departments of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport DDPS and the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ehud Barak have signed a declaration of intent whilst attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. It lays down that both the dialogue between the DDPS and the Israeli Ministry of Defence and bilateral cooperation in selected fields are to be continued. Further collaboration between the Swiss Armed Forces and the Israeli Defence Forces is not planned.
The DDPS cultivates bilateral relations with numerous states. These consist of regular meetings where current security policy and military topics are discussed as well as - depending on the country - substantial cooperation projects.
Israel is also one of these states with which the DDPS maintains bilateral relations. For a considerable time now, there has been a regular dialogue between the DDPS and Israel on security policy and military topics. Their intention to continue these talks at various levels has now been affirmed in a bilateral agreement. The respective declaration of intent of the DDPS and Israel was approved by the Federal Council on 17 October 2012 and has been signed today by Federal President Ueli Maurer and Israeli Minister of Defence Ehud Barak in Davos.
The declaration of intent lays down that the DDPS and the Israeli Ministry of Defence continue their annual strategic dialogue both at the political level and in the form of expert talks between military representatives within the present scope. Furthermore collaboration is also to be continued in certain select fields. Concretely, these include a regular exchange of information and experience relating to civil protection and cooperation in individual arms-related projects. There has never been military cooperation beyond that between Switzerland and Israel to date, neither is such planned with the signed statement of intent.
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Sonja Margelist
DDPS spokeswoman
031 324 88 75
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Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports
http://www.vbs.admin.ch
