Swiss meet US authorities to discuss UBS tax probe

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, June 20 (Reuters) - Switzerland sent a delegation to Washington on Friday to discuss a U.S. call for help in investigating the case of a UBS banker on trial for helping wealthy American clients dodge tax.

Bradley Birkenfeld, a 43-year-old former UBS (UBSN.VX) banker, pleaded guilty on Thursday to helping a billionaire hide $200 million in assets from U.S. tax authorities.

The trial of Birkenfeld, who acknowledges he once smuggled a client's diamonds into the United States in a toothpaste tube, marks another setback for UBS, Europe's biggest casualty of the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis with writedowns of $37 billion.

The Swiss federal office of justice said on Friday that it was responding to a U.S. request for Swiss judicial assistance received on June 11.

"I can confirm that a Swiss delegation went to Washington to discuss questions in the context of the U.S. request. The meeting takes places today," spokesman Folco Galli told Reuters.

The delegation is made up of authorities from the Swiss federal office of justice as well as the federal tax administration, part of the finance ministry, he said.

"There are practical questions to clarify. It is a technical discussion, not political," the spokesman said. "The competent Swiss authorities came to the conclusion it was best to discuss these points in a direct way rather than by email or telephone."

Birkenfeld is on trial on tax evasion charges in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.