New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) In the midst of a row over tainted money stashed in banks in Switzerland, the government today said it will begin talks with that country in December for amending the relevant treaty and it was not interested in a “roving inquiry”.

“We are pursuing with the Swiss authorities and after our persuasion they have agreed to discuss and begin the negotiations on the amendment of the avoidance of double taxation agreement in respect of the exchange of information.

“That first round of talks will take place sometime in December,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a panel discussion organised by ET-Now news channel.

The Swiss Banks Association had said Swiss law and even OECD’s Model Tax Convention do not permit fishing expeditions, in other words, the indiscriminate trawling through bank accounts in the hope of finding something interesting.

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