Switzerland and Romania talk cooperation

Switzerland hopes to conclude negotiations on extending a labour deal to Romania within the next few months, says Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey. Speaking after meeting her Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu on Tuesday, Calmy-Rey said voters could have the final say on the agreement if the accord was contested. Romania, which joined the European Union at the beginning of the year alongside Bulgaria, is Switzerland's main trading partner in southeastern Europe. Non-EU member Switzerland has gradually opened its labour market under a bilateral accord with Brussels.