'In fact,' he adds, 'the relationship should be quite the opposite, they must get closer together. Joining the EU remains a desirable and probable objective.'

Earlier this year in March, an overwhelming 77% majority of Swiss voted a resounding no to a referendum proposal to enter into membership negotiations with the European Union. But the government has consistently taken the stance of 'never say never' and after the referendum it declared: 'The vote cannot be read as a rejection of an eventual Swiss membership in the EU. It is merely a 'No' to starting immediate talks.'

Couchepin said in the article that the Swiss voters who rejected EU membership were fearful that 'integration is a deadly menace to direct democracy, neutrality and federalism.' But economic integration is inevitable, 'one could not imagine Switzerland signing up to the EU without also adopting at the same time the European monetary system,' he said.

Couchepin is in France this week for talks in Paris with his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, and with Elisabeth Guigou, France's employment minister.