Documents reveal US- Swiss political deal over UBS

(Swiss info): A document revealed by whistleblowing internet site WikiLeaks appears to show that Switzerland struck a deal with the United States in 2009 to help embattled bank UBS. A “secret” US dispatch published by Norway’s Aftenposten newspaper alleged that the Swiss government had said it would shut down the activities of the Swedish firm Colenco which was believed to be violating sanctions in Iran. Last year’s Swiss president, Doris Leuthard, had also reaffirmed to the US that Switzerland was prepared to accept “several detainees” from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay. Leuthard is said to have linked both to the achievement of a political settlement in the case of Swiss banking giant UBS. The minister denied the claims on Thursday.

“There is no direct connection between the UBS dossier and the acceptance of detainees from Guantanamo as well as the activities of the Colenco company in Switzerland,” she told journalists.
“As you know, the government mentioned its willingness to accept Guantanamo detainees on January 21, 2009 after US President Barack Obama had announced the closure of the base.”

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