"Any attempts to apply injunctive and executive measures with respect to the Russian assets located in the U.S. will be regarded by Russia as a ground for taking adequate and commensurate reciprocal measures against the U.S., its citizens and legal entities," the newspaper quoted a letter from the U.S. Department of State to former Yukos shareholders, which quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry's response to a U.S. note.
The former Yukos shareholders, in whose favor an arbitration court in The Hague in July 2014 compelled Russia to pay $50 billion, had earlier asked a court in the District of Columbia to uphold and enforce this ruling in U.S. territory.
In a note to the Russian Foreign Ministry the U.S. stated that Russia has 60 days in keeping with the U.S. laws to reply or object to this lawsuit [the deadline is set for August 21], otherwise the legal proceedings would be launched in the absence of the respondent, the Kommersant wrote.
"It is clear from the Russian Foreign Ministry's reply to the U.S. Embassy that Russia disagrees with the claims made by former Yukos shareholders. The ruling by The Hague arbitration is seen by Russia as an 'unjust' and 'politically biased act' which was issued in 'utter violation of the applicable legal norms' and is 'incompatible with the ideas of the rule of law and independent, impartial and professional international justice,'" the Kommersant said.
"According to Russia, The Hague arbitration did not have the authority to consider the dispute, its decisions were made on the basis of an international treaty Russia is not a party to and in a dispute over which it has no effect, the note says. In view of this the Foreign Ministry believes that the upholding of The Hague resolution could 'seriously undermine the authority of a respectable U.S. court,'" the Kommersant said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Russia to pay Yukos EUR 1.866 billion in compensation for violations of the right to property committed against the company. The ECHR also decided to pay Yukos another EUR 300,000 for the reimbursement of costs.
