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Diplomat: Economy minister's detention not to affect Russia-Japan consultations

Russian ex-minister of economic development Alexey Ulyukayev was involved in contacts between Russia and Japan

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Kremlin: Economy minister's arrest should not be associated with change in economic policy

MOSCOW, November 17. /TASS/. Detention of Russian ex-minister of economic development Alexey Ulyukayev will not affect consultations between Japan and Russia, Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

Ulyukayev was involved in contacts between Russia and Japan, the spokeswoman said. "However, the ministry will work smoothly," she said. "Therefore everything required to be done by that authority will be delivered," she added.

President Putin signed a decree on Tuesday relieving Aleksey Ulyukayev of his duties as Russia’s economic development minister over the loss of confidence. Ulyukayev was detained late on Monday as he received a sum of two million U.S. dollars as a bribe in exchange for the economic ministry’s positive appraisal that allowed the oil major Rosneft to buy out from the state a 50.08% stake in the oil company Bashneft.

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