<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Nov 11, 2008
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UBS said in July that it was halting its offshore banking services for US citizens after it drew scathing criticism from US authorities. -- PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->ZURICH - SWISS authorities and top bank UBS on Tuesday denied reports that they handed to United States authorities files on Americans suspected of tax evasion.
'The Swiss authorities have not handed over any information as of now, contrary to what has been said,' a spokesman for the Swiss finance ministry said.
Her comments came after the Washington Post reported on Monday that the Swiss had handed over information on around 70 US clients of UBS to the US Justice Department, citing sources close to the case.
The Swiss ministry spokesman said only that the cooperation procedure between Washington and Bern was 'ongoing,' without giving any further details.
UBS also said it had not given any information to the US authorities.
'We are continuing to work with the Swiss and American authorities but we respect Swiss law and banking secrecy,' a spokeswoman told AFP.
UBS said in July that it was halting its offshore banking services for US citizens after it drew scathing criticism from US authorities.
The bank's chief financial officer of global wealth management, Mark Branson, told a US senate committee that the bank 'genuinely regrets' failures in complying with US regulations and would stop offering offshore banking to Americans.
Many observers expect Switzerland and its prized banking secrecy laws to come under renewed pressure following the election of Mr Barack Obama to the US Presidency.
Mr Obama is known for his hard line on tax evasion and jointly presented a 'Tax Haven Abuse Act' to the Senate in 2007. Switzerland was one of 34 countries listed in the bill as potential sites for tax evasion by US clients and observers said that while that particular piece of legislation is unlikely to pass, it could yet inform the new president's policy. -- AFP
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>UBS client data leaked out? <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
UBS said in July that it was halting its offshore banking services for US citizens after it drew scathing criticism from US authorities. -- PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->ZURICH - SWISS authorities and top bank UBS on Tuesday denied reports that they handed to United States authorities files on Americans suspected of tax evasion.
'The Swiss authorities have not handed over any information as of now, contrary to what has been said,' a spokesman for the Swiss finance ministry said.
Her comments came after the Washington Post reported on Monday that the Swiss had handed over information on around 70 US clients of UBS to the US Justice Department, citing sources close to the case.
The Swiss ministry spokesman said only that the cooperation procedure between Washington and Bern was 'ongoing,' without giving any further details.
UBS also said it had not given any information to the US authorities.
'We are continuing to work with the Swiss and American authorities but we respect Swiss law and banking secrecy,' a spokeswoman told AFP.
UBS said in July that it was halting its offshore banking services for US citizens after it drew scathing criticism from US authorities.
The bank's chief financial officer of global wealth management, Mark Branson, told a US senate committee that the bank 'genuinely regrets' failures in complying with US regulations and would stop offering offshore banking to Americans.
Many observers expect Switzerland and its prized banking secrecy laws to come under renewed pressure following the election of Mr Barack Obama to the US Presidency.
Mr Obama is known for his hard line on tax evasion and jointly presented a 'Tax Haven Abuse Act' to the Senate in 2007. Switzerland was one of 34 countries listed in the bill as potential sites for tax evasion by US clients and observers said that while that particular piece of legislation is unlikely to pass, it could yet inform the new president's policy. -- AFP
