GENEVA, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - The Swiss authorities decision to extradite former Russian Nuclear Minister Yevgeny Adamov to the United States was not politically motivated, a Swiss Justice Department spokesman said Monday.
Rudolf Wyss said it was unfair to say the situation was political and that if Switzerland extradited Adamov to Russia, it would have failed to fulfill obligations outlined in a bilateral agreement with the United States.
Wyss said Switzerland was had to adhere to an agreement on extradition with the United States and the European Convention on Extradition, which Russia joined in 2000.
Swiss authorities decided to extradite Adamov to the United States, which, unlike Russia, guarantees the further extradition of the former nuclear minister.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier Monday that the Swiss authorities' decision to extradite Adamov to the United States was motivated by political and not legal considerations.
"Moscow expresses its concern because the Federal Justice Department's decision goes against legal and objective considerations," the ministry said in a statement.
Adamov, who was minister from 1998 to 2001, was arrested on May 2 in Berne at the request of the U.S. authorities, which suspect him of embezzling $9 million.
The U.S. filed an official extradition request on June 24, and Russia did so on May 17. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has charged the ex-minister with swindle and abuse of office.
Adamov's lawyers have 30 days to appeal Monday's decision.
