ABSTRACT
Active neutrality implies diverse services which are the manifestation of the Swiss desire for solidarity. The essential element of active neutrality lies in continually contributing to efforts to develop peaceful feelings between nations. Since the second half of the nineteenth century, Switzerland has considered its neutrality not only as the basis of its foreign policy but also as a "schedule of obligations" translated into a concept of active solidarity, particularly in the case of international conflict or controversy. The principles Switzerland has to observe owing to its neutral status and the resulting risks of every engagement call for extreme caution in international activities. The readiness of Switzerland to perform good offices is a constant of its foreign policy. Within the category of good offices, arbitration and mediation figure beside protection of foreign interests which consist in maintaining a minimum of contact between belligerents or between States which have broken off their diplomatic relations.
