ABSTRACT
The Council took the view that, in general, Switzerland was capable of producing nuclear weapons using its own resources. In an accompanying memorandum Switzerland reserved the right to offer interpretations or make reservations in connection with ratification. Freedom of action must be safeguarded at all costs, and if Switzerland were to sign, that freedom would be sacrificed without adequate guarantees. Since Switzerland was not represented at the Non-Proliferation Treaty negotiations, its government therefore sought to make its views known, and to submit proposals for amendment, by other means. True, Spain and Portugal stood aside, but that meant little, and Switzerland could not decide against joining merely because certain non-European countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, India, Israel, Pakistan or South Africa, had not joined. As far as military interests were concerned, it was argued that nuclear weapons would inevitably have to be acquired at the cost of conventional ones.
