[FPSPACE] Russia: Over 140bn dollars said transferred abroad in past 9 years -- Interfax

[JamesOberg@aol.com]

Russia: Over 140bn dollars said transferred abroad in past nine years 
Interfax 

Moscow, 1st December: Over 140bn dollars were moved abroad from Russia
between 1991 and 1999, State Duma corruption-fighting commission chairman
Nikolay Kovalev said in an interview published in the `Vek' newspaper on
Friday [1st December]. He quoted the Institute of International Finance
that incorporates 270 Western banks, broker offices, investment funds and
other financial officials as his source. 

"In 1999 alone, 20bn dollars left Russia. Institute experts believe that
the same amount may flee Russia in 2000," Kovalev said. Russia loses an
amount exceeding its budget to corruption and imperfect legislation
annually, he said.