"I do not think this issue will be mentioned. Everybody has spoken out on the YUKOS affair, everything is clear," a Kremlin official told RIA Novosti on the summit's eve.
The official doubted the U.S. would raise the issue. "I do not think they will mention this issue. All clarifications on this score have been provided," said the source.
The fact that the international affairs committee in the U.S. Senate held a hearing on the matter does not mean it must be discussed at the summit. "This is not a convincing argument to us," said the source. He added that the U.S. administration had not even responded to the hearing.
The Kremlin official did not agree with the suggestion that the summit would discuss guarantees to American investors on Russia's part. "At least the list of issues to be discussed at the summit the United States had provided to Russia does not contain 'guarantees for investors' activities in terms of ensuring energy security'," said the source.
The official said Russia's law, like American law, provides investment guarantees. However, Moscow is prepared to discuss the issue. "If they ask this question, we will answer it," said the official.
"At the present moment they [U.S. companies] do not have serious questions. They have questions about YUKOS, but it is a different issue. None of the companies working in the Russian market, there are dozens of them, has complained about attempts to oust it or challenge its ownership rights," said the source. "This is a bubble. Investors that are active in Russia, dozens of them, have not put forward such issues to the government," he emphasized.
"For instance, Mexico's Constitution reads that foreign petroleum and gas companies are not allowed to work in the Gulf of Mexico under any arrangements. This law is notconsidered undemocratic even by Mexico's neighbors who buy its petroleum," added the official.
