PARIS (AFP) - The Swiss ambassador to the OECD was arrested in Paris for drunk driving after a high-speed chase in which police shot out one of the tyres on his car, a police source said on Tuesday.

The diplomat was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning after being caught speeding in his Mercedes close to the Sorbonne university.

Even after his tyre was shot out, the diplomat briefly continued trying to escape the police car pursuing him and he was subsequently found to be over the drink driving limit, the police source said.

The ambassador, Stefan Flueckiger, was released from custody after police confirmed his diplomatic status but may now face prosecution.

Switzerland's foreign ministry said on Tuesday they would lift his diplomatic immunity if requested to by the French authorities.