India to raise permanent UN seat with Swiss

Looks like the Swiss have become quite savy of knowing how to throw their weight around at the UN. This was in the Financial Express today:

GENEVA, MAY 27:  As part of its intensified efforts to garner support for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, India will raise the issue with Switzerland which has stuck to a neutral position and maintained that it will not endorse any candidacy as long as the modalities of the council’s enlargement were not settled.

President A P J Abdul Kalam, who is on a four-day state visit, will put forth India’s position during wide-ranging talks with his Swiss counterpart Verena Schmid who will also be hosting a banquet in his honour.

The focus will be on boosting Indo-Swiss trade ties which were "definitely below potential", secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, Shashi U Tripathi told accompanying Indian journalists. She said the two sides would discuss ways of strengthening cooperation in science and technology.