Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos met in New York on Wednesday, 25 September, with Swiss Vice President and Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter, within the framework of Ministerial Week at the 68th UN General Assembly.
During their meeting, they exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, with the focus on Switzerland’s relations with the European Union, particularly ahead of the Greek EU Presidency in the first half of 2014. In this context, special mention was made of the potential for coordination between the Greek EU Presidency and Switzerland’s upcoming OSCE Chairmanship.
Messrs. Venizelos and Burkhalter also looked at ways to upgrade Greek-Swiss bilateral relations in sectors like tourism, energy and investments.
Finally, Mr. Venizelos requested the acceleration of the necessary procedures for the agreement on exchange of information on and taxation of Greek deposits in Switzerland, on the model of Switzerland’s similar agreements with the UK, Austria and Germany. The two Ministers agreed to convey to the Finance Ministries of the two countries the need to speed up the relevant procedures.
September 26, 2013