International conference "Fight Againt Money Laundering-2002. A New Global Regime" begins in Moscow

A representative international conference "The Fight Against Money Laundering-2002. A New Global Regime" opened in Moscow on Wednesday. It will be attended by representatives of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), the United Nations, the Russian Central Bank and Vneshtorgbank.

In the run up to the FATF session in Paris on October 7-11, the conference participants will again raise the question of crossing out Russia from the list of the countries which do not combat the laundering of criminal money. Russia was included into this list in the summer of 2000 when it did not have a financial intelligence and an appropriate legislation. However, a year ago, a Committee on Financial Monitoring was set up under the presidential decree. Apart from that, the Law on Combating the Legalisation (Laundering) of the Illegally Obtained Incomes was passed.

This week, the FATF commission has started work on the report which can serve as a ground for excluding Russia from the "black list." The commission will have to study how in practice Russia uses its legislation to combat the legalisation of criminal incomes.