President lands in Switzerland,black money top on agenda

The issue of black money salted away by Indians in Swiss banks is likely to figure in talks between President Pratibha Patil and her Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Ray.

The issue of black money salted away by Indians in Swiss banks is likely to figure in talks between President Pratibha Patil and her Swiss counterpart Micheline Calmy-Ray. On board Air India One,when asked if she would raise the controversial issue,President Patil said an entire range of financial,economic and bilateral issues will be discussed.

She arrived in Geneva Friday evening for a seven-day tour of the Swiss Confederation and Austria. She was received by Geneva Canton president Mark Muller.

Asserting that Switzerland and Austria are two important partners of India in Central Europe,Patil said that during her visit she will highlight economic and commercial cooperation,scientific ties and educational exchanges. She said Indian firms are already investing in Switzerland and Austria,using the places as a gateway to Europe. Indian business delegation is accompanying President to explore trade and investment opportunities. Switzerland and Austria are active members of several international organisations,many of which are based in these countries. I will exchange views with my counterparts in both countries on international terrorism,climate change and United Nations reforms, she said. India has already signed a Protocol to the revised Double Taxation Agreement.

Patil will visit European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) on Saturday. They are the people who invented the world wide web. More than 200 Indian or Indian origin scientists are working there and I am looking forward to meeting them, she said.

On October 2,she will pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue outside the UN office in Geneva. On October 4,she will unveil the bust of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore at the University of Lausanne where a Tagore Chair on Indian Studies is also being set up.

Switzerland has emerged as one of the top investors in India as also a source of advanced technology in diverse fields such as engineering,precision instruments and textile production. The President said India would like to see more Swiss firms using India as a manufacturing base for exports to third countries as well as an R&D centre.

There is also an excellent potential for harnessing Swiss technologies to meet our developmental needs in areas such as renewable energy,energy efficienty and vocational education, she said.