RUSSIAN EXPERT: U.S. COURT RULING ON YUKOS TO HAVE NO FOLLOW-UP IN RUSSIA

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MOSCOW, December 17 (RIA Novosti) - The U.S. Court in Houston, Texas, has ruled on suspending all operations with the assets of the Russian oil company YUKOS, the decision which will have no legal follow-up in Russia, said Igor Igoshin, deputy head of the State Duma committee on budget and taxes.

He specified that the United States and Russia were not bound by any signed treaties on mutual recognition of court rulings. "This considered, an auction on selling Yuganskneftegaz stock is quite legitimate and scheduled for this Sunday, December 19," said the State Duma deputy.

There is a certain intrigue in this case, however, he remarked. Several foreign banks which were involved in the financing of the future auction's favorite Gazprom have got certain interests on the territory of the United States where this ruling is quite valid. Mr. Igoshin thinks that this can cause some banks to recall their decision on Gazprom financing.

Notwithstanding all this, Gazprom remains a favorite in the forthcoming auction and will be able to replace the withdrawn credits by Russian sources or to win loans from those foreign banks that have got no interests on the territory of the United States.

In the opinion of Igor Igoshin, the Houston court decision is a political rather than legal precedent. Never before has a foreign bank tried to bring pressure to bear upon an event in Russia, he added.

But the American court ruling is unlikely to lead to a drop in Russia's rating or to the introduction of any general sanctions against Russia. Theoretically, some sanctions can be introduced against companies involved in a deal with Yuganskneftegaz, alleged Mr. Igoshin.

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