Russian and US financial intelligence officers to meet

A meeting of Russian and US financial intelligence services is expected to take place in early 2006, Viktor Zubkov, chief of the federal service for financial monitoring, has told journalists today.

      He referred to cases when US banks closed correspondent accounts of Russian banks. He said that it appeared as though American banks and bankers were not completely aware of the changes that were taking place in Russia's banking system. Therefore, Zubkov believes such a meeting attended by financial intelligence officers and representatives of central banks is necessary. He said that the Russian banking system should not be perceived as a criminalized system, for it was quite functional.

      He also pointed out that he had received fewer criticisms of the Russian banking system than a year before. On the whole, he said, the banking system complied with international standards.