Neutral European countries: Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Ireland
Austria is bound to neutrality by the 1955 Austrian State Treaty
and its constitution, which prohibits entry into military alliances
and the establishment of foreign military bases on Austrian
territory. Austrian neutrality is actually an enforced neutrality. The
territory of Austria was occupied by allied forces until 1955. In 1955
the Soviet Union, in the Moscow memorandum, demanded Austria's
neutrality on the model of Switzerland and expressed a preparedness
for pledges by the four powers to the integrity and inviolability of
Austrian territory. All of the countries with which Austria had
diplomatic relations ratified the Austrian State Treaty.
Switzerland received its neutrality through the Peace of Westphalia
(1640), which ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe. It also confirmed
the independence of the Swiss Confederation. After 1789, France
occupied a large part of the Confederation's territory. The Congress
of Vienna in 1815 re-established the Swiss Confederation and an act,
signed on 20 December 1815 by Austria, France, England, Prussia and
Russia, guaranteed permanent neutrality for Switzerland.
Sweden bases its policy of neutrality on tradition rather than on
an international treaty. During military conflicts in the first half
of the 19th century Sweden maintained its neutral status. Neutrality
was formally proclaimed by King Gustav XIV in 1834. Sweden had long
been a strong military power, but it adapted the policy of neutrality
to its own political interests. In 1941 it allowed German forces
transit through Swedish territory to the Finnish front, and at the
same time protected refugees from Nazism. After 1945 Sweden opted to
preserve its neutral status. Sweden's security was strongly dependent
on the status of Finland and indirectly on the policy of the USSR
towards Finland as well.
Finland derives its policy of neutrality from the period directly
following the Second World War. Its interest in remaining neutral in
conflicts between great powers was first recognised in a treaty
between Finland and the USSR in 1948 (the Treaty of Friendship,
Cooperation and Mutual Assistance). The treaty forbids the signatories
to join a military alliance against the other, and Finland could not
allow its territory to be used for an attack on the USSR. Finland was
also bound to preserve its neutrality through adequate armed
forces. Finland's neutrality does not have roots in international law,
and there are no international pledges for its neutrality. Thus
Finland, like Austria, is a case of enforced neutrality, again by the
USSR.
Ireland implemented a policy of neutrality during the Second World
War. In 1949 Ireland was invited to join NATO, but did not accept the
invitation because it did not wish to join an alliance that also
included Great Britain. In doing so, Ireland established the
unification of Ireland as a condition, which unacceptable to Great
Britain. In actuality, during the cold war period Ireland belonged to
the West in the political sense, and it was also clear that NATO would
protect Ireland in case of war between the great powers, and also
because part of the island is ruled by Great Britain.
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