European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Swiss Kredt Anstatt Headquarters dominates the Parade Plau in Zurich. Bank secrecy Days numbered gnomes of Zurich retrench Washington Postr renowned for generations As discreet custodians of the fortunes amassed by unscrupulous rulers. Swiss Bankers Are adopting a More cooperative attitude in helping foreign governments recover Gold and Money stolen from National treasuries. In a trend that the powerful gnomes of Zurich say threatens the reputation of the numbered account the stashes of several toppled potentates have become ensnared by Legal action in Swiss courts reflecting new legislation and a desire to Clear Switzerland s name As a protective Haven for ill gotten gains the new philosophy of Swiss financial authorities according to Daniel Zuberbuhler. Deputy director of the Federal banking commission in Basel is ii you re a pig As a Leader of a country Don t put your Money Here " Romania s new government has asked Swiss authorities officially for help in finding assets including $400 million in Gold rumoured to have been deposited in Swiss Banks by the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu Nicolae lord ache the charge d affaires lodged Bucharest s demand for information on any assets deposited in Swiss Banks by Ceausescu. Who was executed dec 25, or his family the official rompers news Agency in Bucharest quoted an unidentified former policeman As saying he helped escort two flights in 1980 that carried a total of 40 ions of Gold irom Romania to Switzerland to be deposited in Ceausescu s Bank account Switzerland had already anticipated such a request issuing an order last month freezing any Money the Ceausescu family might have in the country and it responded promptly a few Days later to a us. Request to freeze any assets of ousted panamanian dictator Gen Manuel Antonio Noriega the chief u s prosecutor against Noriega Myles Malman said in Miami that the us government has had $20 million of Noriega s vast overseas wealth Frozen mostly in european Banks president Corazon Aquino s government in Manila has been chasing Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos Fortune for nearly four years under the same kind of Swiss legislation. Meanwhile the Marcos Booty in Switzerland estimated at $700 million also has been Frozen and attempts by associates to get some of it out of the country have failed similar Legal Battles under Way Here have tied up part of the Clandestine Fortune salted away by Jean Claude Duvalier the haitian dictator also overthrown in 1986 and blocked the exit of alleged Rake oils hidden in Swiss Banks by a government owned Cement company linked to Paraguay s former dictator. Gen Alfredo Stroessner. Reports have circulated in Zurich that freeze orders also will be sought by the new bulgarian government against possible numbered Swiss accounts linked to the family of Todor Zsivkov the ousted communist party chief jailed in Sofia and against funds reportedly deposited in Swiss Banks by associates of Erich Honecker. The former East German Leader facing trial for treason. Jorg Kistler spokesman of the Swiss Federal Justice and police department said no fishing expeditions will be entertained but times have changed substantially since Swiss authorities refused to help the islamic government in Iran get at the Shah s wealth after his overthrow in 1979, and brushed off requests from Young marxists who took Over in Ethiopia in 1974 and posted a claim on numbered Swiss accounts they said were held by emperor Haile Selassie Ulrich Grele an executive vice president and Board member at Swiss Bank Union the country s largest Bank noted that despite its reputation Switzerland s Bank secrecy never was absolute in addition he pointed out the country has had Mutual assistance legislation in place since 1983. Permitting authorities to investigate accounts held by foreigners accused of a crime also considered a criminal offence under Swiss Law the spectacular cases that have accumulated recently he said result largely from political developments in the countries concerned and an increasing awareness by the new rulers that banking records and Swiss Laws make Hunting Down suspect fortunes a possibility i also think governments around the world have become More sensitive to the changes in values that determine what is considered funny Money Crete added in an interview at the Bank Headquarters in Zurich the 1983 Law was enacted largely in an attempt to provide Swiss and foreign investigators with Legal tools to Trace funds originating in organized crime and drug trafficking although it excluded action on lax evasion not considered a penal matter in Switzerland the Law softened a tradition of Bank secrecy that has been a Swiss trademark for centuries and has been enshrined in Law since 1934 Switzerland s Federal system leaving much authority with courts in the 26 cantons has meant in practice that suits brought under the Law often drag on while challenges Are mounted in jurisdiction after jurisdiction according to Moritz Leuenberger. A Federal parliament member and lawyer representing the Aquino government but the Federal government has shown a sharply increased willingness to take initiatives in recent years acting to counter what Crete called an image problem Lor Swiss banking the Cornerstone was Laid in March 1986, shortly alter Marcos was overthrown Zuberbuhler said a Marcos emissary appeared at the credit suisse Bank in Zurich to ask for a $200 million withdrawal irom one of the Marcos family accounts instead of handing Over the Money he recalled. Credit suisse reported the request to the Federal banking commission. Notified by the commission the Federal government took time out from a diplomatic reception to Issue an urgent freeze order on All Marcos funds in Swiss Banks that marked the first time Swiss authorities had deviated so clearly from the Bank secrecy tradition in a political Case lawyers for the Posl Duvalier haitian government citing the Marcos precedent demanded and received the same sort of freeze order just one month later. Since then authorities appear to have moved a step further Swiss journalists have speculated Bern is eager to overcome the impression left by a scandal in late 1988 involving laundering More than $1 billion part of it drug Money and contributing to the resignation of the Justice minister Elizabeth Kopp. And the dismissal of the attorney general Rudolf Geiber. In any Case Leuenberger acting Only at the request of romanian exiles obtained the urgent dec 22 freeze order on putative Ceausescu funds even As the revolution proceeded in Bucharest and without documents to Back up the allegation such funds were deposited in Swiss Banks the reasoning he explained was that authorities had to move last to prevent the Ceausescu family irom getting Access to the Money if the fallen dictator succeeded in fleeing Romania and tried to set up an exile residence. The order was sent to credit suisse and Swiss Bank Union where Leuenberger said he had been told Ceausescu might have Money deposited credit suisse denied it had any deposits connected to Ceausescu Swiss Bank Union made no Public statement reflecting Bankers unease with the government s increased willingness to act Jean Paul Chapuis. Managing director of the Swiss Bankers association in Basel said the dec. 22 freeze order was not necessary since it was not based on a formal government request with solid indications that illegitimate Money was present the stars and stripes Page 13