And almost not a moment too soon, it seems!
On 10/01/00 +0000, I quoted:
>
>
>
>January 10, 2000 - from CNN and FT reports:
>
>
>MOSCOW -- After a week and a half as Russia's acting president,
>..
>Putin fired Kremlin property manager Pavel Borodin, who had been tainted by
>allegations that a Swiss construction company bribed Kremlin officials in
>exchange for lucrative construction contracts. Borodin has denied
involvement.
>
>
>
> Mr Borodin, a close friend of the Yeltsin family, managed
> the lavish refurbishment of the Kremlin palace.
>
> But he is currently being investigated by Russian
> prosecutors for allegedly accepting kickbacks from
> Mabetex, a Swiss construction company. Both Mr
> Borodin and Mabetex deny the accusations.
Now, within a calendar month, the Swiss of all people, have issued an
international arrest warrant for the poor man.
Pinochet at least had the opportunity of escaping from perpetual house
arrest in a foreign country by going demented in his 80's but Borodin
presumably is in the prime of life. Never to travel abroad again. Worse
than Soviet Russia!
>
>Swiss order arrest of Kremlin aide for money-laundering
>DAVOS: Swiss authorities investigating a Russian money-laundering affair
>have issued an international arrest warrant for former top Kremlin official
>Pavel Borodin, a Swiss magistrate said.
>The arrest warrant for Borodin, who was a key aide to Boris Yeltsin before
>the former Russian president resigned last month unexpectedly, has already
>been sent to the Interpol police network, the magistrate told Reuters
>Thursday, declining to be named.
>international arrest warrants were likely to be issued for two more suspects
>soon.
>Separately, Swiss authorities are also investigating Swiss connections in an
>alleged money-laundering scandal involving the Bank of New York. They are
>assisting US investigators in the affair, in which two people have already
>been indicted in the US.
What is also interesting is how Switzerland can no longer hold a peculiar
niche in the international balance of forces as of apparent right. Perhaps
the Nazi gold scandal has convinced it of the need for some transparency
and accountability.
Another step in the inexorable march of globalisation.
To be safe, Borodin would be well advised to retire to Siberia! Always
assuming that the Russian Federation does not totally disintegrate under
the chauvinist war policies that he and the oligarchs financed in the hope
of saving their corrupt gains.
He is now at Putin's mercy. He may be an easy sacrifice to enable Putin to
distance himself from the old regime.
What better evidence of Putin's bona fides with international finance
capital?
Perhaps finance capital will then be happy to let Putin go on killing
Chechens who dare to want independence.
Chris Burford
London
