Gaydamak wants Russia citizenship back

[---]

Gaydamak wants Russia citizenship back
By JPOST.COM STAFF AND AP



Arkadai Gaydamak has lodged an application to reclaim his Russian citizenship, the Russian-Israeli billionaire's attorney told Army Radio on Thursday morning.
Russian-Israeli billionaire...

Russian-Israeli billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak.
Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski [file]
SLIDESHOW: Israel & Region | World

Gaydamak was forced to give up the citizenship when he made aliya to Israel in the 1970s, as Russian law does not permit dual-citizenship.

The attorney said Gaydamak would surrender his Israeli citizenship if Russia's Interior Ministry grants his request.

As there is no legal agreement between Paris and Moscow, France will not be able to proceed with the arms-trafficking lawsuit that it is currently pressing against the billionaire, if his request is approved.

Prosecutors allege that two of the 41 suspects - Gaydamak and French businessman Pierre Falcone - organized the sale of Russian arms to Angola from 1993-2000, for a total of $791 million, in breach of French government rules.

The other suspects, including Jean-Christophe Mitterrand and other members of France's political elite, are accused of receiving money or gifts - undeclared to tax authorities - from a company run by Falcone in exchange for political or commercial favors.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...icle%2FShowFull