Switzerland lived up to its 'reputation as a stickler for the rules in the latest international incident. Two Italian parliamentarians set off for Lugano last week to check out allegations that three prominent Italian politicians had accepted kickbacks during the 1997 acquisition by Telecom Italia of 29% of Telekom Serbia.

Their search for proof took them to the offices of an accountant in Switzerland where they spent some time rummaging through his files. The Swiss police were waiting for them outside when they left the building and charged them with industrial espionage and acting without official approval.