Money matters top Merz’s bilateral talks

Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz has discussed how to tackle the global financial crisis with the leaders of Mexico and Poland at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Merz told Mexican President Felipe Calderón that Switzerland, as a major financial centre, would be prepared to provide assistance in resolving the crisis and actively engage in adapting international financial structures.

The leaders said they were happy with a double taxation agreement signed last year and discussed the Free Trade Agreement concluded between EFTA (the European Free Trade Association) and Mexico.

Money matters also topped the agenda during talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as cooperation within the International Monetary Fund and Switzerland’s European Union enlargement contribution to Poland. It was one of several top-level meetings between the countries this year marking the Swiss recognition of Poland 90 years ago.

Also on Thursday Merz and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey hosted a lunch for the president of Azerbaijan, İlham Aliyev, at which cooperation in the Bretton Woods institutions governing monetary management between states, Swiss investment projects and natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan were all raised.

Calmy-Rey was also present for talks between Merz and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the situation in the Caucasus.