Foreign ministry presses for UBS cooperation
A senior foreign ministry official has urged authorities in the United States to refrain from taking unilateral action against the embattled Swiss banking giant UBS.
Michael Ambühl, the state secretary for foreign affairs, made the comments following a meeting with his US counterpart, William J. Burns, in Washington.
“I have reaffirmed the offer of the Swiss government to cooperate with US authorities under the existing legal bases,” Ambühl told reporters on Friday. “I have at the same time emphasised that we expect that, in order to receive information from Switzerland, no unilateral measures will be taken against UBS so long as there is cooperation.”
Ambühl and Burns also discussed a Swiss company’s controversial 25-year gas deal with Iran. Burns reaffirmed US criticism and concern over the arrangement but admitted that it did not violate United Nations sanctions, Ambühl said.
The meeting was part of regular consultations between the two countries that have been in place since May 2006, the foreign ministry said.
During his visit to Washington, Ambühl also met officials from the congressional foreign affairs committee and political advisors for the two presidential candidates.
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