Swiss vote against piracy force

A crew member from a Dutch frigate looks at a Greek navy vessel involved in the Indian Ocean, 19 September 2009

Atalanta aims to protect cargo ships and aid shipments off Somalia

Swiss troops will not take part in an EU anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, lawmakers have ruled.

Switzerland's parliament rejected a government proposal to take part in the Atalanta mission by 102 votes to 81.

Defence Minister Ueli Maurer said Thursday's vote was a "missed opportunity", Swiss radio reported.

The government had proposed sending 30 troops to the Gulf of Aden, but opponents said the bill compromised Switzerland's long-held neutrality.

"It's about being involved in combat operations, and this clearly contradicts neutrality," said Martin Baltisser, of the nationalist Swiss People's party, AP reported.

Switzerland's upper house had backed the proposal, which analysts say was an attempt to boost the landlocked Alpine nation's relations with its EU neighbours.

Operation Atalanta has some two dozen ships from EU nations - including Britain, France, Germany and Italy - patrolling an area of about two million square miles off the Horn of Africa.

In June, EU ministers agreed to extend the anti-piracy operation until the end of 2010.

Somalia has been without a stable government since 1991.