Putin has promised to appeal the court decision to arrest of state assets in Europe – RBC

Russian President Vladimir Putin

Photo: TASS

As Putin said at a meeting with the heads of foreign news agencies,” the reaction can not be, we will protect their interests, “Interfax reported. The President noted that “the fact that Yukos shareholders are trying to get away from Russia additional means nothing new there – we faced it in the past and from the company and from our other partners.” According to Putin, Russia would act “within the framework of a civilized legal process».

The president explained that the decision of the Hague Court of Arbitration shall be valid only in respect of those countries which have signed and ratified the European Energy Charter. “Russia has not ratified the charter, so we do not recognize the jurisdiction of this court”, – Putin said.

According to Putin, the problem with the arrest of Russian assets abroad could be resolved in the same way as it happened in the situation with the claim of the company Noga. “We have been sued by Noga, and finally, after all, decided all the problems”, – Putin said.

The Swiss company Noga, which says Putin in 1990 to sue Russia in different courts in connection with the fact that the Russian side allegedly failed to fulfill its obligations: under the agreement, the company has supplied Russian consumer goods in exchange for oil products worth $ 1.5 billion. The securing of a claim in France, was arrested in the Russian state account abroad, as well as property of the Russian institutions and companies (including the Russian embassy in Paris). In addition, the claim of the company at the air show in Le Bourget near arrested Russian Su-30 and MiG-AT. In December 2003, a court in France Noga deprived the opportunity to seek the arrest of Russian property in France. A few months after this Swiss firm withdrew all its claims to Russia.

Earlier that Russia will challenge the decision of the arrest of state assets in Europe, said presidential aide Andrei Belousov. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on June 19 that the actions of the Belgian authorities who arrested the Russian state property in violation of international law and Russia’s response “will be reciprocity».

June 17 became aware of the arrest of Russian property in Belgium. The list of institutions with seized property were almost all major banks, registered in Belgium, the Russian representation, including the Archbishopric of Brussels and Belgium Russian Orthodox Church, as well as offices of non-governmental organizations and the media. As told Lavrov, were arrested accounts of the Russian Embassy, ​​the account representative to the EU and NATO representation. Arrest on Russian state property was imposed as in France – the French “daughter” VTB were blocked accounts of Russian diplomatic missions arrested by state news accounts of “Russia Today».

The property has been arrested in the Russian software solutions Hague Arbitration of June 18, 2014, which obliged Russia in accordance with the decision of the court in The Hague, Russia had to pay Cypriot companies Hulley Enterprises and Yukos Universal Limited (owned 51% of total Yukos) compensation – $ 39.9 billion and $ 1.85 billion respectively. Pension fund Veteran Petroleum Yukos Russia had to pay $ 8.2 billion.

Earlier, Russian officials have repeatedly called the court’s decision as politically motivated and officially reported, they are not going to comply with the arbitration.

In response to the arrests of the Russian State Property June 18 the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Belgian Ambassador Alex Van Meeuwen for questioning. The Russian side has threatened to consider the seizure of property of the Belgian embassy in Moscow, as well as property of the Belgian legal entities if the arrested Russian bank accounts will be unfrozen.