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Swiss president, U.S. vice-president meet before Davos 2016 kicks off

Xinhua, January 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

U.S. vice president Joe Biden and Swiss president Johann Schneider-Ammann met on Monday in Zurich to discuss a range of international issues as well as education policy matters.

According to the Swiss Federal Council, while the close relations prevailing between both countries were recognized by the involved parties, Biden also reiterated the pivotal role played by Switzerland in the recent exchange of prisoners between the United States and Iran.

Schneider-Ammann furthermore mentioned the confederation's interest in ongoing negotiations between the United States and the EU on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), stating that Switzerland counted on the possibility of third-party countries being able to join.

Both countries also stressed their desire to strengthen cooperation in vocational education and training, the starting point of which was Biden's wife Jill's participation in the first International Congress on Vocational Education and Training in the Swiss town of Winterthur two years ago.

The talks took place a couple of days before Schneider-Ammann and Biden open the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos on Jan. 20. Endit