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Softening of sanctions on Russian diamonds inevitable — deputy finance minister

Alexey Moiseev pointed to "the manifestation of a kind of a neocolonial policy of these countries, which infringes upon not merely Russia but also all the Western market players"

MOSCOW, June 25. /TASS/. Softening of EU sanctions in respect of Russian diamonds and postponement of the diamond origin tracing system start were inevitable, Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev told reporters.

"This is the next confirmation that what the Western countries propose is not feasible at this stage and secondly, as I said at the St. Petersburg [International Economic] Forum, this is the manifestation of a kind of a neocolonial policy of these countries, which infringes upon not merely Russia but also all the Western market players. I believe therefore this [softening of sanctions] was inevitable," Moiseev said.

"Well, we will have to see, I hope that not," the official added, answering the question whether the diamond origin tracing system efficiently goes live from March 1 of the next year.