Gref: foreign business should not be afraid of anti-market actions of Russian leadership

Recent appointments in the Russian president's administration show that the foreign business community should not be afraid of any anti-market actions on the part of the Russian leadership. Russian economic development and trade minister German Gref, who is taking part in the 7th Russian-US investment symposium, said at a press conference in Boston on Thursday.

Replying to the question how a foreign businessman should react to the Kremlin's stand concerning YUKOS, Gref pointed out: "You have seen the logic of all the latest appointments. If I were a businessman I would understand that there are no 'hawks' there who are going to eat me." "There exists a desire to establish a normal balance and, despite all hysterical statements, the logic of all actions we see shows we should do this," Gref stressed.

According to him, the Russian authorities are striving to ensure "respect to the law on the part of all constituent members and citizens of the Federation no matter what they may be engaged in." US secretary of commerce Donald Evans confirmed that he discussed with the Russian minister the situation around YUKOS in Boston. He believes that it is important that the law should be applied equally to all persons in society and that political influence should not be exerted on the process.