MINSK, 25 February. Russia will use all legal means to avoid arrest in France, according to the requirements of lawyers of Yukos Russian assets, including a Bank guarantee of Rosoboronexport related to the contract for the construction of ships “Mistral”. This was stated by Minister of justice Alexander Konovalov.
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“In six jurisdictions where the procedure is already running the so-called legislature, where the plaintiffs Yukos appealed to the national courts about the treatment decision of the Hague Tribunal to the fulfillment, in all these cases there is a protracted positional struggle, including the attempts (to impose) a sanction on the different assets. So, what exactly took place on the day, I won’t tell. But in all cases very carefully use all legitimate means provided by the legislation of national jurisdictions, to defend the position of the Russian Federation”, – said Konovalov. So he answered a request to comment on media reports that ex-Yukos shareholders are trying to arrest in France of a Bank guarantee of Rosoboronexport related to the deal on the “Mistral”.
Arbitration under the mediation of the Permanent court of arbitration in the Hague, in July 2014 ruled that Russia owes a total of to pay more than $50 billion to companies affiliated with the former shareholders of Yukos. The court decided that Russia’s actions against Yukos could be regarded as expropriation of the investment, violating the 45th article of the Energy Charter. The proceedings on the merits commenced on 9 February 2016.
Russia ordered from France the helicopter carrier type “Mistral” in 2011. In 2014 Paris has frozen the supply of ships in connection with the situation in Ukraine, and in 2015 the Russian Federation and France have agreed to terminate the contract. Shortly thereafter, the “Mistral” has acquired Egypt. As expected, the new buyer will get ships in 2016 together with the French landing craft.
