Swiss minister's giggling fit an online hit

[September 25, 2010]  GENEVA (AP) -- Switzerland's finance minister has sparked hilarity in the Alpine nation by collapsing into giggles while answering a parliamentary question about imports of cured meats.

The video showing Hans-Rudolf Merz convulsing with laughter at the unintelligible bureaucratic language in his script have created popular sympathy for the outgoing finance chief.

Merz was widely criticized in recent years for signing away much of Switzerland's banking secrecy and failing to secure the release of two Swiss citizens held by Libya.

His speech has been viewed by more than 300,000 people on YouTube and other websites since Monday and prompted one maker of air-dried meats to advertise their wares with the slogan: "Never lose your sense of humor."

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Online:

Swiss TV clip at http://bit.ly/biK4kU

[Associated Press]

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