The wife of Russian President Dmitri Medvedev has officially handed over Russia's present to the city of Bern – two young bears called Mischa and Mascha.

On Tuesday, the second day of her husband's official visit to Switzerland, Svetlana Medvedev entrusted the new residents of Bern's expanding bear park to the care of her Swiss hosts. The bears arrived in Switzerland last week.

The mayor of Bern, Alexander Tschäppät, also presented Medvedev with two bears - one of chocolate and one of gold.

Meanwhile President Medvedev continued his trip by visiting places of interest in central Switzerland.

At the Suvorov monument near Andermatt, he laid a wreath and paid tribute to the 18th century Russian general. Alexander Suvorov lost 6,000 men crossing the Alps after a battle against the French in 1799.

Medvedev lunched with Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz during a boat tour of Lake Lucerne and then visited a museum housing Switzerland's founding document. He later left for New York from Zurich airport.

Strict security arrangements were in place for the Russian president's visit.

swissinfo.ch and agencies

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