Secretary Clinton and Swiss Federal Minister *updated w/video*

From their remarks prior to their meeting this morning:

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton welcomes Switzerland's Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey for talks at the State Department in Washington, Friday, July 31, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

SECRETARY CLINTON: This is my second meeting with the federal councilor, and I am delighted to welcome her to the State Department. Our first meeting was in Geneva. At that time, we discussed a broad range of issues, and today, we will, of course, be doing the same, both bilateral as well as regional and global.

We’re very grateful to the Swiss Government for the role that they play representing us in countries like Iran, serving to mediate longstanding issues between countries like Armenia and Turkey. And so we really welcome the involvement and support that the Swiss Government gives to so many important causes around the world.

And of course, today, it’s especially fitting that the federal councilor would be here. There has been an agreement reached in a litigation that was just reported to the court in Florida that confirms there has been an understanding between the Swiss Government and our government over the ongoing litigation concerning UBS. Our governments have worked very hard on this to reach that point, and so we’re very pleased that the announcement was made this morning.

MS. CALMY-REY: Thank you. I am very happy to be here today and to have the opportunity to discuss with State Secretary Clinton. The United States and the State Department are very important partner for Switzerland, and we are discussing the important international and bilateral issues, and we are very – of course, very satisfied today with the news of – concerning UBS, that an agreement in principle have been reached. So I’m very happy to begin my discussions with her. Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much. Thank you.

MS. CALMY-REY: Thank you.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, do you still have outstanding issues about bank secrecy and tax evasion?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, there’s been an agreement in principle.

The video of their remarks:

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