SWITZERLAND:It is as closely associated with Switzerland as the Matterhorn and the cuckoo clock. But the Swiss army knife, considered by millions around the world to be an indispensable tool, is in danger of losing its Swiss identity.
The Swiss army, which is to order a fresh batch of 65,000 of the pocket knives with new specifications, has caused consternation by declaring that, under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, the tendering process must be opened to companies worldwide because of the high value of the contract.
China, which has been producing pirate copies of the knife for years, is thought to have the best chance of winning the contract, which is estimated at 1.7 million (€1.03 million) Swiss francs, followed by Taiwan and Bulgaria.
The issue has become a hot political topic, with far-right politicians saying national pride is at stake. "If the Swiss army knife no longer comes from Switzerland, then we might as well stop producing it altogether," said Thomas Fuchs, MP for the far-right Swiss People's Party.
Alois Kessler, a former colonel in the Swiss army, has launched a nationwide petition, "Keep soldiers' pocket knives Swiss!". He said he had found that under WTO rules "stabbing weapons" - among them the Swiss army knife - are on a list of products that do not need to be put out to tender.
Victorinox, the company that makes the knives, said it was confident it would win the bid on quality and cost.
The knife, first produced in Ibach in 1897, is credited by everyone from balloonists and astronauts to surgeons and pilots with saving lives. It is the official pocket knife for 16 armies around the world, including the US military.