Center for Security Studies

No. 77: The Libyan Affair: Afterthoughts on Swiss Crisis Management

No. 77: The Libyan Affair: Afterthoughts on Swiss Crisis Management

Author(s): Daniel Möckli, Andrin Hauri
Editor(s): Daniel Möckli
Series: CSS Analyses in Security Policy
Issue: 77
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich
Publication Year: 2010

Switzerland's management of the recent hostage crisis with Libya was successful as far as its outcome is concerned. However, there have also been some serious shortcomings. The deficiencies of coordination within the government are essentially systemic. The numerous indiscretions and the tendency to exploit the crisis for party purposes have aggravated the challenges for Swiss diplomacy. The media and the Canton of Geneva have also contributed to the complexity of the Libyan affair. There are lessons to be learnt too, especially as far as Switzerland's foreign-policy positioning is concerned.

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