Israel recalls its Swiss envoy over Iran meeting

PanARMENIAN.Net - Israel has recalled its ambassador to Switzerland following a meeting between the Swiss president and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a foreign ministry official said on Monday.



The five-day Geneva conference, which begins on Monday, has been called to assess international progress in fighting racism and xenophobia since the Durban meeting.



Ahmadinejad and Switzerland President Hans-Rudolf Merz focused mainly on issues related to collaboration in the energy and economic sectors, the Swiss government said in a statement after they met at a Geneva hotel.



Netanyahu's office later said that he and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman decided to recall Ambassador Ilan Elgar from Berne "for consultations and in protest at the conference in Geneva".