MOSCOW, October 4 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Minister of Justice Yury Chaika said Tuesday that he doubted the United States would extradite former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov to Russia.
"We do not have a bilateral extradition treaty with the U.S., so we have doubts that America will extradite Adamov to Russia," the minister said, adding that Adamov knew "state secrets."
"We should act in line with international law," Chaika said.
He also said that Russia and the U.S. were working on a bilateral extradition procedure but "had failed to reach agreement so far."
Adamov, who was minister from 1998 to 2001, was arrested on May 2 in the Swiss capital, Berne, at the request of the U.S. authorities, which suspect him of embezzling $9 million.
Switzerland decided to extradite Adamov to the United States Monday.
The U.S. filed an official extradition request on June 24, and Russia did so on May 17. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has charged the ex-minister with fraud and abuse of office.
Adamov's lawyers have 30 days to appeal Monday's decision.
