The Antigua and Barbuda government says it has not received any official communication from Britain regarding two yachts docked there which international media outlets claim belong to Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire owner of the English football club, Chelsea.
Information Minister Melford Nicholas told reporters that Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin has not indicated if he has received official documents from London “in pursuit of this particular matter”.
“While the Antigua and Barbuda government itself has not sanctioned any of these persons, the whole question of us recognizing our role in this particular endeavor, securing our own jurisdiction from any potential post liabilities that may occur with these matters. We have to tread carefully,” Nicholas added.
Abramovich is among several Russian billionaires identified by Europe and North America for sanctions as a result of their close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin who sent troops into Ukraine last month.
Nicholas told reporters there were options open to St. John’s should it receive a request from London to ensure that the yachts are not allowed to break the sanctions.
“Probably the most that can happen in the circumstances, and I speak guardedly is that if it comes to a point, where if there is any requirement for the UK government to pursue these boats, we may just ask them to leave our borders.
“In that case, we would have discharged our obligation based on where we would have made those commitments,” Nicholas said, reiterating that the attorney general had not yet received any documentation from London on the matter.
British media reports said the two yachts while they are registered to a firm in the British Virgin Islands could most likely be the property of Abramovich, who is also seeking to sell the English football club.
They said London has asked St. John’s for assistance in forcing sanctions against him, but that the matter is proving to be complicated including the need for a court order to determine the owners of the yachts.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, speaking on a British television program, said a letter from the British Virgin Islands authorities indicating that Abramovich was the beneficial owner of the company with which the yachts are registered.
“Well, the letter was not to Antigua. The letter from the Financial Services Agency from the British Virgin Islands was sent to the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom. It was not addressed to Antigua. That letter was passed on to us by the British High Commission representative in Antigua.
“But that’s all that was done. A letter was passed on. It didn’t say we the British government put our full faith and credit behind this letter, so we still do not have enough information to take this matter further.
“The ball is very firmly in the British court,” the diplomat said.
CMC/
