Switzerland praises efforts by Liechtenstein

President Adolf Ogi has praised the government in Liechtenstein for taking steps to combat money laundering. During a state visit to the principality on Thursday, Ogi indicated that relations between Berne and Vaduz had not been damaged by the scandal.

Ogi went to Liechtenstein, which has a customs and currency union with Switzerland, at the invitation of Prince Hans-Adam. He has also held talks with the prime minister, Mario Frick.

Ogi said he was impressed by the speed at which Liechtenstein has moved to fight money laundering. Since its implication in Germany’s party financing scandal at the end of last year, the government has introduced measures to ban anonymous accounts and beef up its judiciary.

The state prosecutor also announced that he would cooperate with the Swiss and French authorities in their investigation into the Elf affair, in which the French oil company is suspected of paying bribes to German authorities for a lucrative contract in eastern Germany.

The moves came after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development placed Liechtenstein on a blacklist of countries accused of money laundering.

swissinfo with agencies