Moscow denounces US statement on freezing Yukos shares

www.chinaview.cn 2003-11-01 05:13:30

MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Russian official said Saturday that an earlier US statement on the freezing of Yukos shares is a manifestation of the double-standard policy.

"Moscow views such statements made by the US Department of State as at least impolite and disrespectful," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told Rossia television on Saturday evening.

Russian prosecutors froze part of Yukos shares on Thursday following the arrest and jailing of Yukos' chief executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who is charged with fraud, tax evasion and five other offenses.

US Department of State spokesman Richard Boucher said Friday that freezing the shares aroused fluctuation in Russia's financial markets and raised serious questions about the rule of law in the country.

"We've noted that it sparked concerns among domestic and international investors about respect for ownership rights in Russia," said Boucher, calling the Russian authorities to dispel concerns that the Yukos case is politically motivated.

Boucher's allegation "is undoubtedly a follow-up to the notorious double standard policy which is being widely used by the current US administration," said Yakovenko.

The Russian official recalled that Washington also applied double standards in the Chechen issue, when it commented about the disproportionate use of force in the breakaway republic.

Russian prosecutors on Friday night freed a small proportion ofthe frozen stake, which had been confirmed to have no relation with the criminal case.

Nov 1 2003 9:03PM

Moscow critical about U.S. Department of State's statement on freeze of Yukos shares

MOSCOW. Nov 1 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said that the U.S. Department of State spokesman's statement on the freezing of Yukos shares is another manifestation of the double-standard policy.

"The statement of the U.S. Department of State's spokesman is undoubtedly a follow-up to the notorious double standard policy which is being widely used by the current U.S. administration," Yakovenko told Rossia television on Saturday evening.

"In effect, this statement concerns the actions of Russian law enforcement agencies. I do not remember the Department of State making any such statements when similar incidents occurred in other countries. I am referring to Asian and European nations, as well as the United States itself," the spokesman said.

"Russia remembers those double standards that were applied to Chechnya, when remarks about the disproportionate use of force were made. But if one takes a look at how American soldiers are now acting in Iraq, it will become clear that human rights are not observed appropriately there. I am also referring to the situation with the Guantanamo base, where a lot of people have been kept for two years virtually without any investigation and trial," Yakovenko said.

"All this has raised very series questions among human rights organizations as far as the observance of human rights is concerned," he noted.

"Moscow views such statements by the U.S. Department of State as at least impolite and disrespectful," Yakovenko said.

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Comment: Yeahhh!! Let us continue to use these "double standards"!!